Jac Caglianone Bio
Jeffrey Alan “Jac” Caglianone is an American professional baseball right fielder and first baseman for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). Caglianone played college baseball for the Florida Gators as a first baseman and pitcher. He was selected by the Royals with the sixth overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft and made his MLB debut in 2025.
Early Life and Background
Jac Caglianone was born on February 9, 2003, in Tampa, Florida. He grew up in a family with Italian heritage through his father. Caglianone attended Henry B. Plant High School, where he showcased his talent in baseball. As a junior in 2020, he participated in Perfect Game’s All-American Classic and earned accolades such as being named a Florida Athletic Coaches Association All-American. His senior year saw him batting .371 with three home runs and posting a 2.44 ERA with two saves and 65 strikeouts over 37.1 innings pitched. However, his senior season ended with an injury that required Tommy John surgery.
Path to Baseball
Following his high school career, Jac Caglianone committed to play college baseball for the Florida Gators. Initially, he planned to redshirt his freshman season while recovering from elbow surgery but ended up playing as a designated hitter. During his freshman year, he batted .288 with seven home runs. Caglianone returned to pitching during fall practices in 2022 and became both a starting pitcher and first baseman in his sophomore season. His impressive performance earned him the NCBWA Player of the Month award for February 2023, where he collected 15 hits in 35 at-bats, including seven home runs.
Jac Caglianone Career
Early Career (2020-2023)
During his college career, Caglianone broke Florida’s single-season home run record, finishing with 33 home runs in a single season. In his junior year, he hit home runs in nine consecutive games and surpassed Matt LaPorta for the most career home runs by a Florida player, totaling 75. His power at the plate drew significant attention, leading to defensive shifts from opponents during games.
Breakthrough (2024-2025)
Jac Caglianone was drafted by the Kansas City Royals with the sixth overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. He signed with the Royals on July 23, 2024, receiving a signing bonus of $7.21 million. Caglianone began his professional career with the Quad Cities River Bandits of the High-A Midwest League. In 2025, he was promoted to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals of the Double-A Texas League, where he excelled at the plate, hitting .322 with nine home runs and 43 runs batted in over 38 games. On June 2, 2025, Caglianone was promoted to the majors, making his debut on June 3 against the St. Louis Cardinals. He recorded his first hit on June 5 and achieved his first multi-hit game on June 8 against the Chicago White Sox.
Notable Works and Milestones
Caglianone’s signature moment came when he hit his first major league home run on June 19, 2025, against the Texas Rangers. Despite facing challenges, including a hamstring injury later in July, he made a significant impact as a rookie.
Jac Caglianone Award Nominations
Throughout his early career, Jac Caglianone has not yet received any major award nominations, as he is still establishing himself in Major League Baseball.
Jac Caglianone Awards Won
As of now, Jac Caglianone has not won any major awards, given his recent entry into professional baseball and ongoing development as a player.
Jac Caglianone Family
Details about Jac Caglianone’s family are limited, but he is known to have Italian roots through his father.
Personal Life
In April 2025, Caglianone was named the official ambassador of the Italian American Baseball Foundation, highlighting his commitment to representing his heritage in the sport.