Watch Former Gator Jac Caglianone Lead Italy to Upset Over Team USA In WBC

Former Florida Gators star Jac Caglianone was in the middle of arguably one of the biggest World Baseball Classic upsets in recent times last night, with the powerful 23-year-old’s 110 miles per hour, 403-foot two-run home run in the fourth inning against Team USA, boosting Italy on their way to an 8-6 win against the heavily favored and undefeated American team.

Caglianone, the Gators' career home run leader who would be selected sixth overall by the Kansas City Royals in 2024, has hit .500 for Team Italy so far through three games, helping his team get off to an undefeated 3-0 start as one of the bigger surprises of the tournament so far.

Former Gator Jac Caglianone with a laser for his first home run of the WBC against team US to help Italy go up 5-0 looking for a huge upset.

Huge swing for the young #Gators star.

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— Dylan Olive (@DylanOlive_UF) March 11, 2026

His monumental swing showed the power that made him one of the greatest players to come through Gainesville, where the Tampa native would smash a career .355 average with 75 home runs and an incredible .760 slugging percentage, aiding the Gators to back-to-back college world series appearances. He would become the fourth-highest MLB draftee in Gators school history.

“Very rarely do you have players like this,” Gators coach Kevin O’Sullivan said on the star during his time in Gainesville, “that when they come to the plate the whole ballpark stops to watch like something great might happen.”

Since making his big-league debut in June of 2025, Caglianone has somewhat struggled early on with the Royals, hitting .157 with seven home runs in 210 career at bats. However, this spring, he has started hot with six hits in 14 plate appearances, with his incredible WBC performance standing as another possible sign of a breakout as the young star gets more comfortable against professional pitching.

A familiar swing in Arizona today.

Former Gator Jac Caglianone hits his first HR of spring 460 feet.

Cags hit .157 with 7 HR and 18 RBIs in his first shot at the bigs last season. Looking to get hot before year two.

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— Dylan Olive (@DylanOlive_UF) February 24, 2026

His strong impact so far for Italy, including scoring three runs and reaching base all four times at the plate in the win over the U.S., has given the team a shot at shocking Pool B by beating the heavily favored Aaron Judge-led club and the talented Mexico team. Italy will have to beat Mexico on Wednesday to officially secure the title.

Heading into last night, the United States was favored to win the entire World Baseball Classic, while Italy had just 65-1 odds according to DraftKings Sportsbook.

Editor's note: Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Caglianone and the exciting Cinderella story of Team Italy will take the diamond again at 7 p.m. against Team Mexico tonight, looking to officially pull off one of the biggest, most shocking advancements that the World Baseball Classic group play has seen recently and put the former Gators slugger back into the national spotlight like he was often during his time in the Orange and Blue.