The Kansas City Royals selected Jac Caglianone with the sixth overall pick in the 2024 Major League Baseball June Amateur Draft. This week, the team announced that the 22-year-old will be moving up to Triple-A Omaha.
After being drafted, he started in High-A and played in the Arizona Fall League before starting this season with Double-A Northwest Arkansas. While he was a two-way player in college, he has been exclusively a position player since being drafted. He is the No. 10 prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline.
He slashed .322/.394/.553 with nine home runs in 38 games in Double-A. He was dominant at the Double-A level, and now he is one step closer to making his MLB debut. Even if he is not called up this season, he could have the opportunity to play against the best players in the world soon.
Caglianone is of Italian heritage, and hinted at playing for Team Italy in next year’s World Baseball Classic. He commented two wide-eyed emojis under Vinnie Pasquantino’s Team Italy announcement post earlier this year. Caglianone was also named an ambassador for the Italian American Baseball Foundation earlier this year.
“I’m honored to join the Italian American Baseball Foundation as an ambassador,” said Caglianone per the IABF. “Baseball has given me so much, and I’m excited to help grow the game and create opportunities for young players who share my heritage. I look forward to working with the IABF to continue promoting baseball within the Italian American community.”
Caglianone was also the 2023 IABF Future Star honoree. Regardless of whether or not he makes it to the big leagues this season, Italy could use a talented young player like him.
Photo: Jac Caglianone (AP Photo)
