Jun 3, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; A detailed view of Kansas City Royals designated hitter Jac Caglianone (14) runs off the field after lining out during the second inning of his Major League Baseball debut against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

3 MLB Comparisons For Royals Phenom Jac Caglianone

Originally posted on Kansas City Royals on SI
By Colin Keane | Last updated Jun 5, 2025 6:45 PM ET

Comparing Kansas City Royals phenom Jac Caglianone to past and present Major League players is an exciting task.

The Royals' 2024 first-round pick (No. 6 overall) carves out a unique profile. He’s a 6-foot-5, 250-pound left-handed power hitter and (and pitcher!) with elite raw power (70-grade, per MLB Pipeline). Caglianone isn’t currently slated to pitch in the big leagues, but he certainly did at the college level.

Drafted out of the University of Florida, Caglianone smashed 68 home runs over his final two college seasons. He led the nation with 33 in 2023.

Before being called up to The Show this year on June 2, “Cags” posted a .322/.389/.593 slash line across Double-A and Triple-A. His two-way potential (though currently dormant) echoes some of the rarest MLB talents. Here are five historical players with similarities, based on power, physicality, and two-way abilities:

Dave Kingman

Kingman, a 6-foot-6, 210-pound right-handed power hitter, parallels Caglianone’s towering presence. Kingman crushed 442 career homers, topping 35 in a season three times despite a strikeout-heavy approach.

Brendan McKay

McKay, a 6-foot-2, 220-pound lefty, mirrors Caglianone’s college two-way brilliance. At Louisville, McKay hit .308 with 18 homers and pitched to a 2.34 ERA, earning the No. 4 pick in 2017 by the Tampa Bay Rays. Sadly, injuries dimmed McKay’s star.

Pete Alonso

Alonso, a 6-foot-3, 245-pound right-handed slugger, aligns closely with Caglianone through shared origins and power. Hailing from Tampa’s Plant High and the University of Florida, Alonso erupted for 53 homers as a 2019 MLB rookie.

Caglianone slashed his first Major League hit on Thursday, an RBI double versus the St. Louis Cardinals. The 22-year-old phenom has a chance to become a franchise cornerstone in Kansas City alongside Bobby Witt Jr., so long as he cashes in on his immense talent and focuses on day-to-day improvement.

More MLB: Royals Could Target $106.8 Million Star From National League Via Trade

This article first appeared on Kansas City Royals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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