Kansas City Royals Top Prospect Hits Extra-Inning Slam, a Hopeful Sign Slump Is Over

Jac Caglianone had been struggling at the plate entering action Saturday, with just one hit in 24 at-bats. After a big day at the plate on Saturday, is Jac back?

Florida Gators first baseman Jac Caglianone (14) singles against Texas A&M during the eighth inning of a College World Series game at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Neb., on Jun 19, 2024. | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

A day like Saturday just might be what Jac Caglianone, the top prospect of the Kansas City Royals, needed to shake off his slump.

Caglianone, the first baseman at Double-A Northwest Arkansas, entered the game Saturday against the San Antonio Missions (San Diego Padres affiliate) riding 0-for-17 and 1-for-24 streaks at the plate.

In the fourth inning Saturday, he singled and added another in the 11th inning of a scoreless game. In the 12th, the Travelers took a 2-0 lead, then loaded the bases for Caglianone, who launched a bases-clearing shot over the fence in right-center off reliever Stephen Jones.

GRAND IN THE 1⃣2⃣th!@jac_caglianone blasts a grand slam in the 12th inning to make it a 6-0 game! #GoNats pic.twitter.com/eHaQW02WA1

— Northwest Arkansas Naturals (@nwanaturals) April 20, 2025

It was the fourth home run of the season for Caglianone, who despite the slump, still has 19 RBIs in 14 games with the Naturals.

This time last year, Caglianone was in college, playing for Florida on its way to the College World Series.

The Royals selected Caglianone, who is 22, with the No. 6 overall pick of the 2024 MLB Draft. In three seasons with the Gators, he hit .355 with a .760 slugging percentage and 1.207 OPS. In 165 games, he had 225 hits, scored 176 times, drilled 75 homers and drove in 189 runs.

After the draft, he started his professional career at High-A Quad Cities last summer and hit .241 with two homers and 14 RBIs in limited action – 29 games.

And in the early going of this season, he has shown what he can do.

On April 5, video of Caglianone hitting a home run out of ONEOK Field in Tulsa, Okla., went viral. The next day, Caglianone followed with a terrific performance, going 3-for-5 with two runs, a double, a walk, three RBIs and four total bases.

And a few days later, he was in the news again after hitting a single that traveled at 120.9 mph.

His stat line on Saturday – 3-for-5, one run, four RBIs and an intentional walk – should give both Caglianone and the Royals the hope that Jac is back.

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