Royals No. 1 Prospect Will Be In MLB 'Sooner Than Later,' Says Insider
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The Kansas City Royals clearly don't want to get ahead of themselves. But they might have a second future superstar on their hands.
Bobby Witt Jr. has already reached superstar status. The Kansas City shortstop finished second in Most Valuable Player voting last season and looks to be on a similar path through the first month of 2025. But there's only so far the can carry the team all by himself.
Fortunately, help is on the way. The Royals' number-one prospect, 6-foot-5 first baseman/outfielder Jac Caglianone, is laying waste to Double-A. And after his two-homer game on Tuesday, one baseball insider made a proclamation about Caglianone's impending arrival.
ESPN's Jeff Passan tweeted out a clip of the first home run Caglianone hit on Tuesday, while declaring what many Royals fans have believed all year: the 22-year-old will make an impact on the Royals' season at the major league level, and he'll do it relatively soon.
"Jac Caglianone’s power is special. Now hitting .330 with a 1.012 OPS at Double-A," Passan wrote. "The Royals are trying to be cautious, but at some point — sooner than later — he’s going to be a solution for their outfield, which is collectively hitting .226/.282/.325."
No one has been bold enough to put a timeline on Caglianone's arrival. He was drafted last July, but he looked like a big-leaguer while he was still in college. And although it took him some time to get his sea legs in pro ball after a long season at the University of Florida, he's been nothing but sensational since he showed up for spring training.
Royals fans can be patient through the month of May. But if June rolls around and the team's outfield is still floundering, calls will start to grow loud that Caglianone needs to be at Kauffman Stadium.
The kid has obvious superstar potential. But how soon the Royals unlock it may be the key to their season.
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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
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