Everyone loves a unicorn. We’re obsessed with the idea of a guy who can throw 100 mph and then turn around and blast a 500-foot home run. It’s why we couldn't stop talking about Kansas City Royals Jac Caglianone the second he left the University of Florida.
But honestly? The "Shohei Ohtani of the SEC" label might have done him a bit of a disservice.
By the time Caglianone actually put on a Royals uniform, the expectations were basically impossible. People expected a finished product. They expected a savior. Instead, what we got in 2025 was a raw, incredibly powerful, and occasionally overmatched rookie who proved that the jump from college to the big leagues is more like a leap across a canyon.
The 2025 Reality Check
If you just look at the back of the baseball card, his debut season looked... rough. A .157 batting average across 62 games isn't exactly what dreams are made of. He struck out 52 times in just 210 at-bats. For a while, it felt like every pitcher in the American League had the same scouting report: just throw the kid a slider low and away and watch him chase it into the dugout.
But stats are liars. Or at least, they don't tell the whole story.
Despite the low average, the Kansas City Royals Jac Caglianone experiment showed flashes of absolute brilliance. He hit 7 home runs, and let's be real—none of them were "cheapies." We’re talking about a guy with an average exit velocity of nearly 90 mph even when he was struggling. When he connects, the ball stays hit.
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One thing that gets overlooked? His defense. Coming out of college, the knock on Jac was that he was a "first base or bust" prospect. The Royals defied that. They stuck him in right field for 52 games. Surprisingly, he didn't look like a statue out there. He’s 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds, but he moves with a weird kind of grace. His arm is, predictably, a cannon.
Is the Two-Way Dream Actually Dead?
This is the big question. Everyone wants to know if he’s ever going to pitch again.
At Florida, he was a force on the mound, winning the John Olerud Award as the best two-way player in the country. He was touching 99 mph with a sinker that made hitters look stupid.
"We're going to be all right. We're going to get a good player. Watch and see." — Brian Bridges, Royals Scouting Director, on drafting Caglianone at No. 6.
But since signing that $7.5 million contract, the Royals have been pretty firm. They want him focused on the bat. In 2024 and 2025, he didn't throw a single professional inning. The organization's logic is pretty sound: why risk a $7 million arm when the bat has 40-home-run potential?
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Still, you’ll find plenty of scouts who think his "relief floor" is higher than his "outfield ceiling." If the hitting doesn't stabilize in 2026, don't be shocked if you start hearing whispers about a return to the mound. The Royals have a history of being creative, and a lefty who throws 98 is a hell of a safety net.
Why 2026 Could Be the Breakout
The biggest hurdle for Caglianone hasn't been his power; it’s been the ballpark. Kauffman Stadium is where fly balls go to die. Or at least, it was.
Ahead of the 2026 season, the Royals are making a move that feels specifically designed for guys like Caglianone. They’re moving the fences in by 10 feet and lowering the height to 8.5 feet.
Think about that for a second.
In 2025, Caglianone had multiple 100+ mph drives that were caught at the warning track. In a "neutral" park, he probably would have finished with 12 or 13 homers instead of 7. With the new dimensions, those long outs become souvenirs.
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The Adjustments He Needs to Make
It's not just about the fences. Jac has to stop swinging at everything.
- The Chase Rate: He chased at pitches outside the zone over 38% of the time in 2025. That’s elite-level bad.
- The Breaking Ball: He hit under .200 against sliders and sweepers.
- The "Hero Swing": Sometimes it looks like he’s trying to hit the ball to Missouri when the Royals are playing in Kansas.
He did show progress, though. By the end of September, he managed to pull his on-base percentage up to .310 for the month. He started taking walks. He started realizing that a single to left field is better than a 450-foot foul ball.
What Happens Next for Jac Caglianone?
The path for Kansas City Royals Jac Caglianone is pretty clear as we head into the 2026 season. He isn't guaranteed a starting spot, but he’s the frontrunner for the primary DH or right field role.
The Royals spent the trade deadline last year adding veterans like Mike Yastrzemski to bridge the gap, but the future of this franchise is built around the core of Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino, and Jac. If he can cut his strikeout rate by even 5%, he’s a 30-homer threat immediately.
If you’re a fan, keep an eye on his Spring Training splits. Specifically, look at his "Whiff %" on pitches away. If he’s laying off those, the AL Central is in serious trouble.
Next Steps for Following the Royals' Rising Star:
- Watch the Spring Training lineup cards; the Royals will likely give Jac heavy reps in the outfield to test his range with the new fence dimensions.
- Monitor his plate discipline metrics on Statcast; if his "Chase %" drops below 30%, it's a signal that he's adjusted to MLB junk pitching.
- Check for any "B-game" pitching appearances; while unlikely, the Royals haven't officially "retired" his pitching career in the transaction logs.