Royals Rookie Carter Jensen Surpasses Mike Piazza for MLB Record

Kansas City Royals catcher Carter Jensen continues to rewrite the record books during his debut campaign, as Sports Illustrated first reported. In a 12-9 loss to the Cleveland Guardians on Friday, the 22-year-old Jensen hit two home runs, marking his 26th and 27th of the season, according to Sports Illustrated.

Those two blasts pushed Jensen to 62 extra-base hits for the season, surpassing the previous MLB record for a rookie catcher held by Mike Piazza, Sports Illustrated reports. The record-setting total is comprised of 27 home runs, 33 doubles, and two triples.

Beyond the extra-base hit mark, Sports Illustrated notes that Jensen now holds the MLB record for the most leadoff home runs by a catcher. He has also established new Kansas City Royals franchise records for both home runs and extra-base hits by a rookie.

With two games remaining in the season, Jensen is slashing .237/.321/.463 and leads the Royals with 81 RBIs and 27 home runs. Sports Illustrated reports that the Royals entered the offseason hoping young sluggers, including Jensen and Jac Caglianone, would impact the lineup. While the organization has struggled this season, the performance of its young players has provided optimism for the future, per Sports Illustrated.