Gators Baseball Legend Hits First Career Home Run with Royals

Caglianone finds a pitch that's high above the zone and was able to get the bat on it. The pitch was nearly eye level. When he got back to the dugout, he got the traditional silent treatment from the other teammates.

He played along, he pretended to air high five invisible teammates and chuckled as he put his gear down. Then, Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez jogged over to hug him and the rest followed suit. Former Gators infielder Jonthan India can be seen high fiving his fellow alum.

Cagalianone has played 14 big league games thus far in his young career. He's batting .204 with a .514 OPS in 55 plate appearances. It shows much more the leap from Triple-A to the Show is from Double-A. The 22-year-old lefty slashed .322/.389/.593 with 15 home runs across 50 minor league games - 38 in Double-A and 12 in Triple-A. In time, you'll start to see improved numbers.

So far, the Royals have played him at the two expected positions he was drafted to play - outfielder and first base - while also sliding in at the designated hitter spot. He's started nine of his game so far in right field. The outfielder positions have been what the Royals had needed help with the most.

It's look unlikley he'll be pitching, at least for now. It's something could be explored at a later date, but the Royals want him focused on the bat right now, and for good reason.

Caglianone holds the record for most home runs in a season (35) and home runs in a career  (75) for the Gators. He won multiple awards and was drafted sixth overall by the Royals in 2024. While with the Gators, the program reached the College World Series in back-to-back seasons and was a win away from a second National Championship in 2023.

Caglianone is the Royals' top prospect (as a first baseman and outfielder) and the No. 10 prospect in MLB.

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