Will Jac Caglianone Make Royals' 2025 Roster? Insider Details Most Likely Scenario
In this story:
The most electric player to watch so far this spring for the Kansas City Royals hasn't come close to touching a big-league field yet.
On Sunday, Royals number-one prospect Jac Caglianone launched yet another mammoth home run: a 114.6 mile-per-hour, 444-foot moonshot off Milwaukee Brewers starter Aaron Civale. If he keeps this up, the more Kansas City fans will long for his debut to come sooner rather than later.
Caglianone has crushed the ball so far in spring, albeit in just 14 plate appearances. He's 6-for-11 with three home runs, a double, and five RBI, good for a gaudy 2.098 OPS. Keep in mind, though, that he only made it to High-A last season and his OPS there was a mediocre .690.
The Royals desperately need more offense, and Caglianone looks every bit the part of a future cleanup hitter. But how soon can they count on him to be that middle-of-the-order bat? And how much longer does he need to develop in the minors to prepare for a new role?
On Sunday, MLB.com's Anne Rogers detailed the Royals' plan for Caglianone. The most notable piece: He'll likely have to play a decent amount of outfield if he wants to stick on the big-league roster, and at some point before his call-up, he'll need to spend time out there in games.
"The 22-year-old will most likely not be breaking camp with the team, instead heading out to Double-A or Triple-A, but he could quickly make his case for the big leagues during the season. If he does hit the way evaluators think he will, Caglianone will likely get reps in the outfield to make room for him, Pasquantino and Perez all on the same roster."
It's always important to get a prospect the seasoning he needs, but the 22-year-old Caglianone seems to be finding his sea legs as a professional after the slight slump he had during his minor-league debut.
And for his part, Caglianone seems to be getting mentally prepared now to make his debut so that whenever it might present itself during the 2025 campaign, he'll be ready to roll.
“I’m really excited to just be part of a great franchise and organization,” Caglianone said, per Rogers. “Whenever that may be, I’ll be ready for it.”
More MLB: Royals' Key Trade Addition, Leadoff Hitter Projected For Disappointing 2025 Season
Jackson Roberts is a former Division III All-Region DH who now writes and talks about sports for a living. A Bay Area native and a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Jackson makes his home in North Jersey. He grew up rooting for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Warriors, and he recently added the Devils to his sports fandom mosaic. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "Kansas City Royals On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org
Follow jrobertsbsbl