Royals call up slugging top prospect Jac Caglianone

KANSAS CITY -- The Royals’ best prospect since Bobby Witt Jr. is on his way to the Major Leagues, as the club called up top prospect Jac Caglianone on Monday morning.

It sets the stage for the slugging first baseman/outfielder’s big league debut on Tuesday in St. Louis, nearly a year after the Royals selected him with the sixth overall pick in the 2024 Draft and after just two weeks in Triple-A.

The Royals optioned outfielder Dairon Blanco in a corresponding roster move to add Caglianone to the roster.

The ascension of Caglianone, the No. 10 overall prospect in baseball, to Kansas City has been quick, powerful and only a matter of time.

With every homer he bashed in the Minor Leagues, beginning in Double-A and then in Triple-A for two weeks, Caglianone strengthened his case to be called up. The Royals preached patience with their young star, seeing the value of Caglianone getting more seasoning in Triple-A with certain things to work on, including learning the corner outfield. He logged just 50 games between the two levels this season – 12 in Triple-A – and has 355 professional plate appearances between this year and last.

Eventually, they couldn’t ignore the numbers.

Caglianone was slashing .322/.389/.593 with 15 home runs and 56 RBIs in 50 games between Double-A and Triple-A this year.

The 22-year-old Caglianone joined the Royals organization last summer when they selected him in the first round out of Florida, with huge, raw power too hard to ignore at No. 6. They drafted him as a two-way player because of an intriguing left arm, but hitting was always going to be his best path to the Major Leagues.

When the Royals invited Caglianone to big league Spring Training this year, the plan was to have him only focus on hitting and his defense at first base. He impressed right away, both on the field and in the clubhouse, the first sign of an accelerated timeline to the Majors.

Caglianone began the year in Double-A and needed a month there to “beat the level,” as general manager J.J. Picollo said when the Royals sent Caglianone to Triple-A. At the end of April, the Royals introduced right field to Caglianone, and he’s been working on getting reps there since in advance of the Major Leagues, where the Royals have a logjam at first base but desperately need outfield offense. The reports about Caglianone in right field have been positive for someone who is just learning the position.

There are questions that come along with Caglianone’s debut, not the least of which centers around his chase rate. But he’s made sizable improvements since. And by and large, the Royals need his power. The Royals are averaging 3.3 runs per game this season. Having Caglianone mashing doubles and homers in the middle of the lineup would help tremendously.

Now he’ll get his opportunity in the big leagues.