Jac Caglianone had struggled to make his presence known in the majors entering Thursday night’s game against the Texas Rangers, batting just .196 with 2 RBIs and 12 strikeouts since being called up by the Kansas City Royals earlier this month. However, it was only a matter of time before the top-10 MLB prospect broke out of his shell, and that is exactly what happened last night at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
The No. 6 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft hit not only one, but two long balls to represent his first two home runs in a big-league uniform. His first career homer was a modest 387-foot blast to right field in the 2nd inning, while the second was a 439-foot moon shot in the 9th inning to cement Kansas City’s victory on the road by a score of 4-1. It was a special moment for the 22-year-old position player, and all the Italian American fans and supporters rooting for him.
Although the former Florida Gator still has much to prove at the MLB level, he had been absolutely crushing the ball in the minors earlier this year. Sporting a .322 BA with 15 home runs and 56 RBIs, the Royals decided that Caglianone had outgrown the minor leagues and was ready to face big-league competition.
It has become abundantly clear at this stage in his career that Caglianone is passionate about two main things: baseball and his heritage. As an ambassador for the Italian American Baseball Foundation, Jac expressed a desire to “help grow the game and create opportunities for young players who share my heritage,” and he will have an opportunity to do just that in Kansas City alongside starting first basemen Vinnie Pasquantino as the two paisans work to claw the Royals way back into Wild Card contention.
