Royals GM Hints At Top Prospect Jac Caglianone's Chances At 2025 MLB Debut
With his big-league spring training officially over, top Kansas City Royals prospect Jac Caglianone can take a well-deserved bow.
Going 9-for-17 with three home runs and a 1.872 OPS against the highest level of competition you've ever seen is a good sign. But Caglianone was optioned to minor-league camp on Monday and will reportedly begin the season at Double-A Northwest Arkansas.
There's not much surprise behind that announcement. Caglianone didn't have a great cameo in High-A last season, so Double-A was always going to be the highest level he could attain to start the season. But his phenomenal spring, coupled with the Royals' need for a middle-of-the-order bat, has many dreaming about a fast rise to the majors.
That dream may soon become a reality if Royals general manager J.J. Picollo's recent comments are any indication.
On Monday, after the Royals made the Caglianone announcement, Picollo hinted that the 22-year-old first baseman's big-league debut could come as soon as this season, with "open-minded" being the key phrase.
“Just because he’s not on our Opening Day roster doesn’t mean we’re not going to be open-minded to him being on the team at some point,” Picollo said, per Anne Rogers of MLB.com. “Regardless, I think he’s going to be a fast mover to the Major Leagues. It’s just a matter of when we feel secure that when he comes up, we have less doubt about having to option him back.”
There aren't many players at any level of baseball with legitimate 70-grade power, and Caglianone is one of them. He hit over 30 home runs in back-to-back collegiate seasons at Florida and looks like a threat to put up 40 in his big-league career as soon as he starts playing full seasons.
The Royals also have to find a defensive home for Caglianone, with Vinnie Pasquantino locked in as the starting first baseman. He'll get reps in the outfield as he progresses through the minor leagues, but it seems as though Kansas City still wants him to be a primary first baseman for now.
Even if he has to spend most of his time at designated hitter, there's little doubt that Caglianone in the lineup will eventually make the Royals the best version of themselves. But how soon he impacts the club could also play a role in their eventual playoff outcome.
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Jackson Roberts is a former Division III All-Region DH who now writes and talks about sports for a living. A Bay Area native and a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Jackson makes his home in North Jersey. He grew up rooting for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Warriors, and he recently added the Devils to his sports fandom mosaic. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "Kansas City Royals On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org