KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Royals catcher Carter Jensen was named American League Player of the Month and AL Rookie of the Month for September, Major League Baseball announced Tuesday.
Jensen, 23, became the first catcher in Royals history to win AL Player of the Month, an award established in 1974. He also became the fifth Royals player to earn AL Rookie of the Month honors and the first since Eric Hosmer in September 2011.
It marked the second straight month a Royals player won AL Player of the Month after Jac Caglianone earned the honor in August. The only other time Kansas City players won the award in consecutive months was in 1982, when Hal McRae won in May and George Brett followed in June.
Jensen hit .338 with a .407 on-base percentage and .787 slugging percentage in 21 September games. He went 27-for-80 with 10 doubles, eight home runs and 20 RBIs.
He led the majors during the month in doubles, extra-base hits with 19, slugging percentage and OPS at 1.194. His 63 total bases led the American League, eight more than the next-closest player.
Jensen reached base in 19 of 21 games and recorded a hit in 17. He had two multihomer games during the month, including Sept. 2 against Miami and Friday against Cleveland, when he also set a career high with five RBIs.
He started 20 of Kansas City's 24 September games at catcher, including five consecutive days from Sept. 1-5 with game-time temperatures of at least 97 degrees.
Jensen was named AL Player of the Week for that stretch after hitting .421 with a .476 on-base percentage and 1.158 slugging percentage. He led the AL during the span in slugging percentage, OPS, extra-base hits and total bases.
Jensen also set a Royals record during September when 12 consecutive hits went for extra bases. According to Elias Sports Bureau, the streak was the longest by a rookie since MLB expanded in 1961 and the longest by a catcher during that span.
He hit his 25th home run Sept. 19 at Pittsburgh, breaking Bob Hamelin's Royals rookie record from 1994.
Jensen finished the 2026 season with 35 doubles, 27 home runs and 81 RBIs. He led Kansas City with 64 extra-base hits, 27 homers and 81 RBIs and was second on the team with 65 walks.
His 64 extra-base hits were the most by a rookie catcher since 1947, surpassing Mike Piazza's previous mark of 61 in 1993.
Among major league rookies this season, Jensen finished first in doubles and extra-base hits, third in RBIs and fourth in both home runs and walks.