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Gators Star Jac Caglianone Continues to Make History

Florida Gators star slugger and pitcher Jac Caglianone continues to make history ahead of the College World Series. This time - off the field.
Kyle Lander|
Florida Gators star Jac Caglianone signs an historic sponsorship deal.
Florida Gators star Jac Caglianone signs an historic sponsorship deal. | Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

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On the back of a monstrous 2024 season that’s still in progress, Florida Gators first baseman Jac Caglianone became the first college baseball player to sign an exclusive deal with Topps x Fanatics, Topps announced Thursday. 

Included in the deal are trading cards and memorabilia. 

The signing of this deal shows just how great a platform the Florida Gators give to their athletes. Just recently, Gators football rising star DJ Lagway signed a historic NIL deal with Gatorade that saw him feature in a commercial during the NBA Finals. 

Caglianone, AKA “the Shohei Ohtani of college baseball,” has been one of the best players in all of college baseball over the last two years.

In 2023, at the plate, he slashed .323/.389/.738 while driving in 90 runs and smacking 33 home runs in 71 games. His 33 homers were the most in the country that year. 

On the mound that year, he started 18 games and held a 4.34 ERA while striking out 87. 

He followed that up by slashing an impressive .411/.532/.860 this season in 62 games. Additionally, he's launched 33 homers and has 68 RBI this year with games still to be played in the College World Series. 

Furthermore, this season, Caglianone ranks sixth nationally in batting average (.411), tied for fourth in hits (97), second in home runs (33), fourth in slugging percentage (.860) and seventh in on-base percentage (.532) while also being one of Florida’s best pitchers. 

Yet, despite all of this, he has not seen his name among the finalists for the Golden Spikes Award that is given to the best player in college baseball that season. 

With this looking to be the last season in Gainesville for Caglianone, he will have one more shot at the grand prize of it all, a College World Series ring. 

Caglianone is a once-in-a-generation player. He has broken records and made history on the field during his three years in Orange & Blue and now he is making history off the field as well. 

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Kyle Lander
KYLE LANDER

Kyle Lander is a contributing writer at Florida Gators on SI. He is also a graduate of the University of Florida with a degree in journalism. On top of his writing, Kyle is a photographer for the site as well. Outside of his work with Florida Gators on SI, he likes to hike, travel, watch movies and hang out with family and friends.

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