Jac Caglianone Stats & Scouting Report

Full name Jeffrey Alan Caglianone
Born 02/09/2003 in Tampa, FL
Profile Ht.: 6'5" / Wt.: 217 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School Plant
Drafted in the 1st round (6th overall) by the Kansas City Royals in 2024 (signed for $7,497,500).

View Draft Report

School: Florida
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.4
BA Grade: 60/Extreme
Tools: Hit: 50. Power: 70. Run: 40. Field: 50. Arm: 60. Fastball: 60. Slider: 50. Changeup: 55. Cutter: 50. Control: 40.

In terms of pure talent, it will be hard for any player in the 2024 class to match what Caglianone brings to the table. He’s a massive presence with a 6-foot-5, 250-pound frame and is one of the better college two-way players since Louisville’s Brendan McKay. Caglianone led the country with 33 home runs as a sophomore in 2023, then put together a second straight 30-plus homer season in 2024, when he also drastically improved his strikeout and walk rates. After striking out 18% of the time in his first two seasons, Caglianone cut that mark to 8.1% in 2024, while tripling his walk rate up to 16.8%. He has astounding raw power and some of the best top-end exit velocities in the country. Despite 80-grade raw power and the ability to homer to all fields with ease, Caglianone will need to improve his swing decisions and pure hitting ability to maximize that juice in games. He has a steep, uphill swing, and his lower half consistently leaks to his pull side. His 43% career chase rate is one of the most aggressive marks of top 2024 college hitters. Caglianone’s upside is greater as a lefthanded slugger, but he’s also been an effectively wild starter for Florida for two years. He features a low-90s sinking fastball that touches 98-99 mph and a pair of average secondaries with a low-80s changeup and low-to-mid-80s slider/cutter. His below-average control creates reliever risk. Caglianone has the power to lead the league in home runs, a la Pete Alonso, who, like Caglianone, is a product of Tampa’s Plant High and UF.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade/Risk: 60/Extreme.

Track Record: Power is the key word that describes Caglianone, whom the Royals drafted sixth overall in 2024. Not only does he have 80-grade raw power and 68 total home runs over his last two seasons at Florida, but he also possesses a power fastball from the mound that gets into the high 90s. The nickname “Jac” comes from the initials of his full name: Jeffrey Alan Caglianone. He first put himself on the map during his high school days at Plant High in Tampa. Turning pro right away was not in the cards after an elbow injury just before the 2021 draft required Tommy John surgery, and he instead enrolled at Florida, not a surprise considering his parents were already season-ticket holders for Gators baseball. Caglianone led the nation in home runs as a sophomore with 33 before his 35 long balls finished second to Georgia’s Charlie Condon in 2024. He homered in nine consecutive games in April, with one home run traveling 516 feet. Caglianone started 24 games on the mound over his last two years at Florida. He’s an effectively wild pitcher with a low-90s sinking fastball that touches 98-99 mph and average secondaries, but with below-average control that profiles him as a reliever if he ever gets a chance to pitch as a pro. After signing with the Royals for a slightly above-slot $7,497,500, Caglianone began his pro career with 29 games with High-A Quad Cities, followed by an assignment to the Arizona Fall League.

Scouting Report: Caglianone uses a steep, uphill lefthanded swing, with a lower half that leaks to his pull side, which makes him susceptible to chasing breaking balls out of the zone. As he adjusts to the better level of pitching in the pro game, he’ll strike fear in the hearts of pitchers with his game-changing power. He considerably cut his strikeout rate and improved his walk rate between his sophomore and junior years in college, but there’s still work to do. While his plus arm would work in the outfield, he’s a below-average runner, so first base is likely his position. He’s an average defender there and his height presents a big target for infielders. He seldom attempts to steal bases, but he’s not a base clogger. Caglianone was announced as a two-way player when drafted, but the Royals have no plans to put him on the mound for now. Observers are impressed by Caglianone’s makeup and the way he plays the game.

The Future: How quickly Caglianone moves through the Royals’ system will depend on swing adjustments and improvement in pitch recognition after he gets more accustomed to pro pitching. After a taste of High-A and the AFL, he will likely head to Double-A Northwest Arkansas to start 2025. He has the kind of power that can produce league-leading home run totals, similar to slugger Pete Alonso, who preceded Caglianone at both Plant High and Florida.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 70 | Run: 40 | Field: 50 | Arm: 60 | Fastball: 60 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 40 | Cutter: 50 .

Draft Prospects

School: Florida Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.4
BA Grade: 60/Extreme
Tools: Hit: 50. Power: 70. Run: 40. Field: 50. Arm: 60 Fastball:60. Slider: 50. Changeup: 55. Cutter: 50. Control: 55

In terms of pure talent, it will be hard for any player in the 2024 class to match what Caglianone brings to the table. He’s a massive presence with a 6-foot-5, 250-pound frame and is one of the better college two-way players since Louisville’s Brendan McKay. Caglianone led the country with 33 home runs as a sophomore in 2023, then put together a second straight 30-plus homer season in 2024, when he also drastically improved his strikeout and walk rates. After striking out 18% of the time in his first two seasons, Caglianone cut that mark to 8.1% in 2024, while tripling his walk rate up to 16.8%. He has astounding raw power and some of the best top-end exit velocities in the country. Despite 80-grade raw power and the ability to homer to all fields with ease, Caglianone will need to improve his swing decisions and pure hitting ability to maximize that juice in games. He has a steep, uphill swing, and his lower half consistently leaks to his pull side. His 43% career chase rate is one of the most aggressive marks of top 2024 college hitters. Caglianone’s upside is greater as a lefthanded slugger, but he’s also been an effectively wild starter for Florida for two years. He features a low-90s sinking fastball that touches 98-99 mph and a pair of average secondaries with a low-80s changeup and low-to-mid-80s slider/cutter. His below-average control creates reliever risk. Caglianone has the power to lead the league in home runs, a la Pete Alonso, who, like Caglianone, is a product of Tampa’s Plant High and UF.