ESPN Says That Kansas City Royals Top Prospect Could Make Big-League Debut This Season

Jac Caglianone was drafted by the Royals in the first round just last season, but that doesn't mean he can't arrive in Kansas City as early as this summer. Armed with prodigious power, he's one of the very best prospects in baseball.

Florida Gators first baseman Jac Caglianone (14) hits a single against the Texas A&M Aggies during the third inning at Charles Schwab Field Omaha in 2024. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Count ESPN as another national outlet giving some hype to Kansas City Royals top prospect Jac Caglianone. They identified him on Wednesday as one of the 10 players drawing the most buzz around spring training, even suggesting that he could make his major league debut this season.

At 6-5 and 250 pounds, Caglianone is an imposing presence, though he's not some wild-swinging, homer-or-nothing prospect. At High-A and in the Arizona Fall League, he struck out only 20% of the time. Kansas City has something of a first-base glut with Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez, so Caglianone will get outfield reps this year and could find himself playing in a corner, accelerating the timeline for his big league debut to perhaps as soon as this summer.

10 players MLB scouts are buzzing about... These potential breakout stars are drawing rave reviews early in spring training.https://t.co/rme0vlqcxL

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) March 5, 2025

It's interesting to see the note about Caglianone getting some looks in the outfield, as that's not something we had previously heard discussed, but it could certainly get him to the big leagues faster.

The Royals are coming off a season in which they finished second in the American League Central and advanced to the ALDS, so if Caglianone can help them get over the hump this year, they surely would be interested in promoting him.

Recently, minor league baseball insider Sam Dykstra said that Caglianone had the best power of any prospect in the minor leagues. He's currently ranked as the No. 22 prospect in the sport, via MLB Pipeline.

He hit .241 in 29 games after getting drafted last year, playing for High-A Quad Cities. He had two home runs and 14 RBI. He led the Florida Gators to a College World Series berth in 2024.

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