June 2: The Royals formally announced that Caglianone’s contract has been selected from Triple-A Omaha. Their 40-man roster is now full. Outfielder Dairon Blanco was optioned to Omaha to clear a space on the active roster. Kansas City is off today, so Caglianone’s debut will come tomorrow in St. Louis against Cardinals righty Andre Pallante.
June 1: One of baseball’s top hitting prospects is headed to the majors, as ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports that the Royals are calling up Jac Caglianone. The Royals have an off-day on Monday, which lines Caglianone up for his big league debut on Tuesday when the Royals start a series in St. Louis against the Cardinals. There are only 39 players on Kansas City’s 40-man roster, so the club can select Caglianone’s contract on Tuesday and then make just one corresponding transaction to create space on the active roster.
It was less than a year ago that Caglianone was still awaiting his draft call, as the University of Florida product was selected just in the 2024 draft when Kansas City took him sixth overall. Caglianone joins Cam Smith and Nick Kurtz as 2024 first-rounders that have already made their way to the Show, and Caglianone has (as you might expect) forced the issue by obliterating minor league pitching. While he had only a .690 OPS in 126 plate appearances at high-A ball in 2024, Caglianone has a combined .323/.391/.600 slash line in 225 combined PA at the Double-A and Triple-A levels this year.
Caglianone just played in his 12th Triple-A game today, so as dominant as the 22-year-old slugger has been, a case can be made that the Royals are being hasty in bringing him up to the majors this early in his pro career. That said, as MLBTR’s Steve Adams noted just a few days ago, K.C. might’ve felt a bit of added motivation due to how little the team has gotten from its lineup, particularly in the outfield.
Today’s 1-0 loss to the Tigers marked the Royals’ sixth shutout loss of the season. Kansas City is tied with the Pirates for the second-lowest run total (194) in baseball, ahead of only the woeful Rockies. With the Royals ranking at or near the bottom of the league in several other major offensive categories, something had to give, especially since the team’s strong rotation was almost single-handedly keeping K.C. in the AL Central race.
The seeds for Caglianone’s quick promotion were planted when he made his first appearance as an outfielder with Double-A NW Arkansas back in late April. Both a star first baseman and pitcher during his college days, Caglianone gave up on pitching to solely focus on hitting as a professional, and he has received a regular dose (though not an exclusive position change) of right field work over the last five weeks of minor league action.
With Vinnie Pasquantino playing first base in K.C. and several players getting cycled through the DH spot, putting Caglianone into right field is a logical way on paper for the Royals to both get a star prospect to the majors, and to help solve their longstanding need for outfield help. Even as the Royals reached the playoffs in 2024, their entire outfield was a major weak link, and Kansas City’s attempts to upgrade the position over the offseason just didn’t really pan out. Caglianone’s promotion is the latest step in a shake-up that has already seen MJ Melendez optioned to Triple-A in April, and Hunter Renfroe released earlier this week.
The left-handed hitting Caglianone figures to split time between right field, first base, and probably DH on occasion. Drew Waters and Kyle Isbel will continue to platoon in center field, while Mark Canha, Michael Massey, and Jonathan India will likely share left field duties, with Massey/India also playing at second base and Canha likely getting some time in right field spelling Caglianone against some southpaws. Broadly speaking, manager Matt Quatraro could be creative with his lineup given how Bobby Witt Jr. and Maikel Garcia are the only regulars with above-average production, and even Witt’s 121 wRC+ is a sizeable step back from his MVP runner-up season in 2024.
It makes for a pressurized situation for Caglianone in his first taste of MLB action, as K.C. fans have, if anything, felt Caglianone was overdue for a promotion. Royals GM J.J. Picollo spoke of the situation to Passan earlier this week, saying “The hardest part about this for us is we’re trying to do what’s best for the player. That’s ultimately what this is. You want the player to be as prepared as he can when he comes in the major leagues. It’s not fair to any player, whether it’s Jac Caglianone or whoever, when a team may be scuffling offensively, to try to put it on him and hope he’s going to come save the day.”
Caglianone’s minor league numbers indicate that he is ready for a step up in competition. MLB Pipeline ranked him as the 22nd-best prospect in baseball prior to the season, ESPN had him 29th, and The Athletic’s Keith Law (60th) and Baseball America (63rd) also had the slugger deeper in their rankings. The pundits agree that Caglianone is a gifted hitter with huge power and exit-velocity numbers, but the only question is whether or not there’s too much swing-and-miss in his game to handle big league pitching. Caglianone has done well in posting respectable strikeout rates in the minors this year though his chase rate is still ungainly.
Due to his inclusion in the top-100 lists, Caglianone qualifies as a Prospect Promotion Incentive player. This means that if he finishes in the top two in AL Rookie of the Year voting, he’d earn a full year of service time despite not being called up until June. The timing of Caglianone’s call-up means that if he stays in the majors for the remainder of 2025, he’d be on pace to earn Super Two status and an extra year of arbitration eligibility down the road.
Photo courtesy of Jayne Kamin-Oncea — Imagn Images
HELL YES!!!!!
WOOOOOOOWWWŴWYYYYYY!
You definitely fit your username…
Jac one
And so the Royals finally decide to promote this guy only after MLBTR did a poll the other day… hmmm is this site breaking the news or is it making the news????
The news broke last night. It was jeff passan I think from MLB
Royals have had since last July to call him up and they only do it mere days after the MLBTR poll????? It’s too convenient to be a coincidence
Huge for royals outfield, I wish he was still pitching but now we can have the Italian connection in pasquantino and caglianone
After a couple of years in the majors, I think he will start working on his pitching and eventually become a pitcher and hitter.
Sad – Don’t forget their Italian catcher/first baseman, Salvatore.
We also forgot their other catcher, Freddie ferminé!
From a Tigers fan — thank you for waiting.
Don’t worry…..we will see you again….lol.
And they will take 2 out of 3 again
Royals are struggling offensively and this guy definitely could boost the offense. I’m excited 😊
Destroying baseballs in the minors
Should turn into a major league AS
A little bit of a rush job. See what happens. At least they won’t burn a year of his major league time this season.
Rush job? Have you seen what he has done in AAA?? Might as well see if he is ready, if not he can go back to AAS only with knowing any weaknesses he could potentially have and then work on them.
Forw now though he’s earned a shot at seeing if he’s ready. Good luck to him, except for when they are facing Detroit…
Yes, its a rush job. 12 games at AAA is a very small sample size. Doesn’t mean it can’t work out, but even if it does, it was still rushed.
Rushed is good when the player is this good.
Gordon was brought up to much fanfare. Brett even said it was an honor to throw batting practice to him. He struggled and went back to AAA. Hope for the best, but don’t expect it.
There’s also the risk you screw with his confidence if MLB pitchers torch him.
It might work, it might not. But let’s not act as if there’s zero risk.
Driving has a small risk but we still do it.
As fas as his confidence, the young man has made it this far in the sport I’m sure he’s both worked hard and faced some challenges and adversity. I’d say the confidence thing is way overblown. Most who have come this far in any sport either have the motivation and will to overcome or they do not. Facing MLB pitching a year prior is not going to detail his career.
The dude has torched MLB pitchers going back to Spring Training. Without any consideration for economics he could have conceivably broke camp with the team. Hes not some young HS kid like Jackson Holliday. He played college ball in the SEC.
Wow look at what a bunch of rookies did in aaa Jordan lawyer didn’t even get a hit
Not a rush job at all. He should have already been up. How many at bats did Hunter Renfroe and MJ Melendez need to waste before they brought in Caglianone?
I agree not a rush job at all. I think it’s become a common misnomer that all MiLB progression should b linear.
As far as Melendez and Renfroe, I’d guess they had to wait due to service time.
Hammerin’ Hank;
A week or so ago the Royals promoted Nick Loftin. He can play the OF and 3B. They also released Hunter Renfroe. Now they promoted Caglianone.
Meanwhile kids on here have been crying like little babies talking about how the Royals outfielders have bad hitting stats. So?
Like the Rays, Guardians, and now Reds (with Francona’s influence); those small market teams know they can’t afford to pay the salary of a power-hitting / run-producing veteran OF, without cutting corners elsewhere. So what they do is groom young guys that along with other players on the roster can play multiple infield/outfield (and in Melendez’ case – C) positions to spread the risk, and use all their 13 position players each week so they get AB’s to keep their timing…..that in turn match up best against opponents pitchers that week.
These moves were all planned last offseason. Small market teams have to build their own. And they have to do it in a way where the youngsters are eased into their ML roles, sheltering them from getting too much pressure which can set them back.
Am extremely impressed with this Royals organization: Ownership, FO, Manager, Coaches. Extremely processional.
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I used to love to go to the track to watch amateur betters whine when their horses came out of the gate and though the first turn in the back 80% of the pack. Races aren’t won that early. “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish” is a cliché in sports because it’s been true for decades. The Royals are in the 2025 hunt today. That’s all that matters. No baseball team wins a championship in April, May or June. Sure, they can lose it in that timeframe. But the object is for the players to be strong, healthy, and focused come the stretch-run in August and September. Royals management is setting that up for 2025.
FINALLY
Is he a pitcher or hitter? The link to his bio shows him as a pitcher, DH and a 1B
Reading is hard.
“Both a star first baseman and pitcher during his college days, Caglianone gave up on pitching to solely focus on hitting as a professional”
I read the article. I was just wondering why he was still listed also as a starting pitcher if he’s one of the best hitting prospects. Unless he’s the 2nd coming of Ohtani teams usually eventually give the player and an ultimatum. Focus on pitching or focus solely on hitting.
He was drafted as a 2-way player (SP&1B). In order to accelerate his assent to the majors he’s shelved pitching for the time being. It even mentions it in the article.
So was hunter Greene, is he still listed as a shortstop
Reds could have had this guy too, but would rather have an anemic offense with infielders playing out of position in the outfield.
Or we could’ve had Chase Burns who is also killing it in the minors. Oh wait…..we do.
The thing is reds pitching is the only thing keeping them afloat, they’re more than one bat away from being a real threat. It’s cheaper and less risky to sign fa position players not that they’re willing to spend anyways…
I have no idea how ‘This one belongs to the Reds’ could complain about Burnes. He has a 49/4 K/W in 35 AA innings. Nothing wrong with Jac, but power hitters with questionable ball-to-bat skills are not exactly rare.
I’d much rather have Burns.
RIP
Not fair.
So who gets sent down?? Rave already??
Personally I’d like to send Blanco and Massey down and keep Rave and call up Cam.
Congrats to him and his family with whom my family is friends with. From UF to the pros. Was just a matter of time. Would love to see him pitch, too. He can do it.
Congrats to your family with whom his family is friends with.
And so it begins
He’ll be good one day.
Tomorrow
Gotta commend the Royals for not overthinking it. Draft him, let him hit and then bring him up when he’s ready.
Now for Roman Anthony… (Looking at you, Red Sox).
Long overdue. #1 prospect. Service time manipulation.
No it’s not if it was they would’ve waited until the 17th
biggest call up since Bryce Harper? I think he’ll fall a bit short, but feels similar.
How many stars have been called up since then?
The 22nd ranked prospect doesnt compare to a consensus #1 prospect like Bryce Harper. But thanks for the laugh
How many World series does Bryce Harper have? In fact the year he signed with the big contract with the Phillies the Nationals suddenly got good for a brief time and at the end of the year were hoisting a trophy.
Uh no lol, not even remotely close
About time
Pete Incaviglia vibes, goin back to the 80s. Bobby Valentine come on down
He goes by Jac while his full name is Jeffrey Alan Caglianone. MLB nicknames ain’t what they use to be but I’ll still hold out hope his will be ATM Machine.
Good luck to him, but not many rookie sensations have had success right away. Be patient.
He’s part of a crop of good hitting players drafted last year, along with Bazzana, Condon, Kurtz and Wetherholt.
Don’t forget about Griffin, in the Pirates system.
Why did he give up pitching? Could have been the next Ohtani 2.0 and made $1 Billion dollars… just not from the Royals. Or, he can still make $1 Billion by just being a DH.
A billion as a DH? He has barely played in AAA and not at all yet in the majors and you think he’s going to out-earn Soto?
@hyraxwithaflamethrower
There’s some sarcasm there regarding the overvaluation of DH in this league.
Excited for the Royal fans as this kid looks for real. But don’t get to disappointed if he struggles, it takes time to develop in the show, especially with so little playing time at AAA.
I thought he needed more time in Triple-A but then I was looking at something and I thought oh wait I forgot that he had already gone to the Arizona fall League last year and that’s usually a big step for a prospect. I’m only disappointed that I didn’t try to talk my parents into driving to Omaha Sunday night so I could have seen him play
That strange sound you hear in the distance is the sound of Guardians fans grinding their teeth. Frustrated that their #1 pick in that draft is not ready for prime time because of nagging injuries.
Huge day for the Royals franchise. Congrats!
Sincerely,
A very sad Pirates fan hoping and wishing :’(
Pirates have Paul Skenes, that’s a pretty good pitcher to have.
Giants fans looking at Bryce Eldridge and salivating right now
He should be up too. How much Lamonte Wade can they take?
Roman Anthony!? Yes! Oh wait…….i misread that
So is he a Zero Way player? The spots he should fill in the lineup are already spoken for.
False
Jac Hammer 🐊
Was that his nickname with Florida?
I’ve heard speculation from some local baseball writers that his Super 2 status is more complicated but I wondered this myself. Seems like a stupid move if they just could’ve waited another week or two