Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez was set to play designated hitter against the Minnesota Twins on Thursday. However, things took a surprising turn when rookie Carter Jensen ignored his alarm and overslept, leaving Perez to step back in as catcher.
Jensen had initially entered the game late as the Royals’ starting catcher, which, typically, happens due to some last-minute illness or injury. But when he was spotted warming up on the mound in the ninth inning, it raised some eyebrows among reporters.
As it turns out, Jensen’s explanation was straightforward: he simply slept through his alarm and didn’t make it to Kauffman Stadium on time to prepare for the game. “You can’t run away from it,” he admitted to reporters after the 5-1 loss to the Twins. “I just didn’t wake up. I don’t need to make excuses; it happened. I feel like I let my teammates and coaches down. I’ll learn from this, and it won’t happen again.”
Royals manager Matt Quatraro described Jensen as a hard worker and a “stand-up guy,” emphasizing that this wasn’t a recurring issue for him. “No one feels worse than he does,” Quatraro noted. “He’ll admit it, and we’ll move on.”
Meanwhile, first baseman Vinny Pasquantino, showing a bit of a big brother attitude, remarked on how a 36-year-old catcher’s plans shifted just before the game, indicating how such surprises can throw everyone off. “At first, my concern was to make sure Carter was okay,” he said, “but once I knew he was fine, I thought about how this is a chance for growth.” He acknowledged the need for Jensen to be more responsible but also added a lighthearted suggestion: “Maybe invest in another alarm clock.”
Jensen is already looking ahead. “If you don’t set one alarm, set three or four—whatever it takes,” he shared. “Next time, I’ll set as many alarms as I need. It’s just disappointing.”
As the Royals’ top prospect standing at 6 feet and 210 pounds, Jensen is noted not just for this incident. He’s recognized as the 16th overall prospect by MLB Pipeline for 2026. In the early part of the season, he managed to get two hits in 16 at-bats, which included one home run and two RBIs.
