Power-hitting prospect Jac Caglianone is set to make his major league debut with the Kansas City Royals.
The No. 6 overall pick in the 2024 MLB draft, who starred collegiately at Florida, was officially promoted on Monday after just 79 games in the minors.
The left-handed slugger is a natural first baseman, but he has seen time in the minors this season in the outfield – an area where the Royals have been among the least productive in the major leagues.
But what makes Caglianone, 22, special is his elite raw power. He posted an impressive .322/.389/.593 combined slash line with 15 home runs in 38 games this season at Class AA Northwest Arkansas and 12 with Class AAA Omaha.
With his tremendous bat speed and elite exit velocity, Caglianone’s home runs are often of the highlight-reel variety.
Earlier this season, Caglianone hit a ball 120.9 mph for an opposite-field single. At the time, it was the 12th-hardest hit ball in Statcast history – and the highest exit velocity ever recorded in the minor leagues.
The Royals demoted outfielder Dairon Blanco to open a spot on the team’s 26-man roster.
After an off day on Monday, Caglianone is expected to make his Royals debut Tuesday in St. Louis. When he does, he will become the team’s first hitter to reach the majors within one year of being drafted since Bo Jackson in 1986.
