Opportunity is knocking for Jac Caglianone.
The Kansas City Royals promoted their top prospect to Triple-A Omaha Sunday, leaving him one step closer to the big leagues.
Caglianone, drafted sixth overall last July after starring as a two-way player for the University of Florida, slashed .322/.394/.553 with nine home runs and 43 RBI in 38 games for Double-A Northwest Arkansas. Although he doubled as a pitcher in college, the 22-year-old Caglianone has primarily played the field this season, splitting time between first base and the outfield.
From the moment he joined the Royals’ organization, Caglianone has been regarded one of baseball’s top prospects. He is currently ranked 10th overall by MLB Pipeline.
Caglianone is likely to make his Triple-A debut Tuesday when Omaha visits the Salt Lake Bees (Los Angeles Angels). Should he fare well there, a Major League call-up likely isn’t far off.
Caglianone Enjoyed Record-Breaking College Career
The Royals couldn’t pass up the chance to get their hands on Caglianone in last summer’s amateur draft. Following a record-breaking career at Florida, where he shattered the school’s career home-run mark (75) and consistently hit upper-90s on the mound, Caglianone was the object of much hype.
MLB Pipeline rated him the No. 3 overall player in the 2024 draft class, noting that he had the best left-handed power of any amateur prospect.
“He has some standout tools both on the mound and at the plate, though big steps forward as a hitter this spring have led most scouts to prefer his left-handed bat over his left-handed arm,” the report read.
Caglianone flashed his plus power in the Arizona Fall League, homering five times in 21 regular-season games for the Surprise Saguaros.
Caglianone Working in Outfield to Boost Versatility
While Caglianone was technically drafted as a two-way player, Kansas City has had him focus exclusively on hitting. And it seems likely to stay that way.
Caglianone did start taking reps in right field in late April, and he’s expected to continue splitting time between there and first base in Triple-A.
His impressive start has certainly caught the eyes of many in the organization, including Royals manager Matt Quatraro.
“What he’s done is phenomenal,” Quatraro said Sunday on MLB Network Radio. “That’s what we were hoping he would do when he got to that level — just dominate it. I think that’s a great sign for him.
“He had a quarter of a season last year, if that, in High-A (Quad Cities), so for him to come out and do what he’s doing right now is exactly what we would’ve wanted.”
Big League Call-Up May Not Be Far Off
Is a call-up imminent for Caglianone? While Kansas City is under no obligation to rush its top prospect, but as MLB.com Royals beat writer Anne Rogers notes, he can’t be far off.
Rogers suggests that Caglianone’s eventual call-up will be based on a balance of his readiness and the Royals’ needs.
The Royals entered Monday tied for third in the American League Central at 26-22, 5.5 games behind the Detroit Tigers. However, they’re just 27th in the majors in runs scored (159) and last in home runs (30). On top of that, their outfielders rank 29th in Wins Above Replacement (WAR), ahead of only the Colorado Rockies.
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Kansas Royals Top Prospect One Step Closer to MLB Call-Up