Last week, the Kansas City Royals promoted phenom Jac Caglianone from Double-A NW Arkansas to Triple-A Omaha in a hardly surprising move. What can Caglianone contribute to the Royals’ offense with the bats cooling at the big-league level?
In a surprising turn of events last year, Florida Gator Jac Caglianone was seen as the top hitter in college baseball. He excelled as a batter, and the two-way player is also an outstanding pitcher.
The fact that he fell to the Royals last season (Pick 6) was a stroke of luck reminiscent of Bobby Witt Jr., who was not selected number one in the 2019 MLB Draft. That pick altered the Royals’ future, and it might happen again with Caglianone when he makes his Royals debut this summer.
Currently, the top pick from that season, catcher Adley Rutschman, is a two-time All-Star and has been just as vital to the Baltimore Orioles as Witt has been to the Royals. In other words, he has produced results for the AL East team.
As for Caglianone, in just 38 games at AA, he hit .322 with nine home runs, indicating he has proven everything necessary at this level. The big question remains: where will he play in the Majors?
He has spent a significant amount of time playing right field in the Texas League, and so far, he is adapting to his new position quite well. During his college years, he was among the top first basemen in the country. As an athlete who played outfield in Florida, this position is not unfamiliar to Caglianone.
Still, we care about his defense, and there’s no doubt he’s a better right fielder than the one Kansas City had in Hunter Renfroe, who was designated for assignment last week. It’s also clear that Jac has a stronger bat. So, how long will it be before he makes his Royals debut?
That’s a good question, and if there are signs regarding his future, I assume it will be sometime after the All-Star break. This timeline places his promotion in mid-July, allowing him two and a half months at Omaha to refine his swing and gain valuable experience in right field.
However, his five-home run debut in AAA in Salt Lake City this past weekend has provided even more evidence that he could be in Kansas City in the next couple of weeks. He makes his Omaha debut on Tuesday night.
Jac Caglianone in Double-A (38 games):
?.322 BA
? 9 HR
?43 RBI
?.947 OPSJac Caglianone in Triple-A (6 games):
?.346 BA
? 5 HR
?10 RBI
?1.280 OPS(via @OMAStormChasers)
pic.twitter.com/OKTnQon9NT— KC Sports Network (@KCSportsNetwork) May 26, 2025
When he arrives, it will be interesting to see how the Royals utilize him and, more importantly, where he bats in the batting order.
Before we conclude, it’s crucial to emphasize that the Royals possess the pitching talent necessary to succeed in October baseball. Despite recent injuries to starters Seth Lugo and Cole Ragans, who are both on the 15-day disabled list, Kansas City native Noah Cameron has already recorded two impressive starts.
The bullpen has been solid despite some struggles from relievers John Schreiber and Carlos Estevez, but Hunter Harvey is expected to return soon. The team has finally decided to designate relief pitcher Chris Staton for assignment.
Yet, they can’t maintain this pace forever, and eventually, even if Caglianone comes up in July, the Royals have too many batters struggling at the plate. Honestly, Vinnie Pasquantino has started hitting, but aside from Witt and Maikel Garcia, the Royals’ bats can’t produce runs.
General Manager J.J. Picollo has plenty of trade capital in the minors to pursue a hard-hitting left or center fielder. The team has called up AAA outfielder John Rave, who possesses an impressive bat. However, the Royals have already brought up Drew Waters, and while he’s performed reasonably, he’s not hitting as well as he did before his promotion from Omaha.
So, will Caglianone be the one to reignite the Royals’ offense?
It’s quite possible that if Picollo is not aggressive before the trade deadline and does not trade one of his assets, their best outfield bats will likely stay at the AA level.
The Royals need to find a solution because the Detroit Tigers, who come to Kansas City this weekend, and the Minnesota Twins, who took two out of three against the Royals this past weekend, are performing exceptionally well in the AL Central.
The Cleveland Guardians, like the Royals, have regressed and face similar offensive issues to those of the Royals.
Right now, all eyes are on AAA and Caglianone. There’s no question he’s the future, and his impact will surely be electric when he arrives in Kansas City.
For now, patience will be key.
Main Image Credit:
