Royals Dealt Concerning Jac Caglianone News on Saturday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Hugh Green | Last updated Jul 27, 2025 1:48 AM ET

Kansas City Royals rookie sensation Jac Caglianone has caught the eyes of many around the baseball world, both during his time professional career and dating back to his college years with the Florida Gators.

Caglianone wowed Florida fans in his three seasons with the Gators as a two-way superstar. And, since he was selected with the No. 6 overall pick by the Royals in the 2024 MLB Draft, his bat has done the talking. He sped through the minors, making his big-league debut less than a year after his name was called.

However, he and the Royals were handed some worrisome news on Saturday after Caglianone left Game 1 of Kansas City's doubleheader against the Cleveland Guardians.

The 6-foot-5, 250-pound right fielder felt tightness in his left hamstring while attempting to run down a ball in the right-center gap on Saturday, causing him to exit the game. The Royals placed him on the 10-day injured list after Game 1, marking his first stint on the IL since making his MLB debut in early June.

Caglianone tore through minor league pitching in his ascent to the bigs. In 50 games with Double-A and Triple-A to begin the 2025 season, he hit .322 with 15 home runs and 56 RBIs. He also got on base at an incredible .389 clip.

Since joining Kansas City's major league roster, Caglianone hasn't seen the same success. He is batting .147 with five long balls and 10 RBIs through his first 150 career at-bats.

During his time in Gainesville, "Jactani," as Gators fans affectionately called him, impressed both at the plate and on the mound. In his junior year in 2024, Caglianone had an absurd .419 batting average with a program-record 35 homers and drove in 72 runs. As a pitcher, Caglianone had a 4.55 ERA across 34 career appearances, with 170 strikeouts in fewer than 150 innings.

Across his three collegiate seasons, he hit 75 home runs, a career program record. His incredible three years at Florida resulted in two first-team All-America selections.

Caglianone will not officially go on the injured list until Sunday, as Gators and Royals supporters alike hope this injury does not hold the budding star out for long.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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