Royals’ 2025 organizational awards include KC native — whose time is coming soon
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Carter Jensen earned 2025 Hitter of the Year after MLB debut and .290 average.
- David Shields won Pitcher of the Year with 2.01 ERA across 18 Single-A starts.
- Royals honored seven individuals for excellence in performance and character.
The Kansas City Royals honored several of their top prospects Monday.
Royals catcher Carter Jensen headlined the list of organizational award-winners who demonstrated excellence on and off the field. Jensen was named the 2025 George Brett Hitter of the Year.
Jensen will be honored alongside the other award-winners on Futures Night at Kauffman Stadium this Friday.
This season, Jensen made the leap from Double-A Northwest Arkansas to the big leagues. He joined the Royals on Sept. 1 and has played sparingly. The Royals want Jensen to get an early start working with the pitching staff. He will also get valuable experience under the tutelage of veteran catchers Salvador Perez and Luke Maile.
Jensen has proved worth the hype. He hit at each minor-league level, posting a .290 batting average with 20 home runs and 76 RBIs. He also represented the Royals at the Futures Game during the All-Star Break.
The Royals are excited to watch Jensen develop next season. He has a strong chance to make the Opening Day roster as the heir apparent at the catcher position.
David Shields is another Royals prospect to watch. The left-handed starter has dominated at just 19 years old. He posted a 2.01 ERA in 18 starts while generating 81 strikeouts to 15 walks.
Shields was a second-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. He has continued to shine at Single-A Columbia and was named the 2025 Paul Splittorff Pitcher of the Year.
The Royals also named Double-A outfielder Carson Roccaforte the 2025 Frank White Defensive Player of the Year and Single-A outfielder Asbel Gonzalez the 2025 Willie Wilson Baserunner of the Year.
Roccaforte logged a .994 fielding percentage in center field. He posted 320 putouts and five assists this season. Meanwhile, Gonzalez continued to generate headlines with his top-end speed. He recorded 78 steals with Single-A Columbia.
Other Royals organizational winners include right-handed pitcher Luinder Avila receiving the Mike Sweeney Community Impact Award and infielder Sam Kulasingam winning the Alex Gordon Heart and Hustle Award. The Royals also named pro scout Mark Leavitt the 2025 Art Stewart Scout of the Year.
