How Royals' Jac Caglianone Performed in His MiLB Debut for High-A Quad Cities
Jac Caglianone wasted no time making an impact.
Less than two weeks after being drafted No. 6 overall by the Kansas City Royals from the University of Florida, the highly touted prospect made his pro debut on Tuesday night with the Quad Cities River Bandits.
Caglianone, the Royals' first-round pick, is a dual-position player who can both pitch and play first base, but he’s expected to settle in as a full-time infielder. With his impressive background and experience in the talented SEC, he’s poised to climb the ranks quickly.
The setting for Caglianone's debut was Modern Woodmen Park, where the River Bandits took on the High-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. In his first at-bat, he struck out, and in the third inning, he hit a hard lineout to centerfield. But he showed why he’s so highly regarded in the fifth inning, smashing a two-out double. He later flew out to center in the seventh inning, finishing his debut with a solid performance in the River Bandits' 5-0 victory.
Caglianone is already drawing attention and is expected to be the Royals' No. 1 prospect. He’s also likely to join fellow Royal Blake Mitchell, currently ranked No. 60, on the MLB Pipeline Top 100 prospects list in the next update.
During his junior year in 2024, Caglianone belted 35 home runs, including a record-tying streak of home runs in nine consecutive games from April 6-19. He also boasted a .419 batting average, the third-highest in Division I, and a .544 on-base percentage, driven by 58 walks compared to just 26 strikeouts.
Caglianone's professional journey kicked off with a bang, shortly after inking a $7.5 million deal with the Royals. Fans are already buzzing with excitement, eager to see how quickly he'll rise through the ranks and make a difference in Kansas City.
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MATHEY GIBSON