With each passing day, the Kansas City Royals' need for Jac Caglianone to join the lineup becomes increasingly obvious.
Caglianone, the number-one prospect in the Kansas City farm system, has 14 home runs and a .986 OPS in 46 minor league games this year. Meanwhile, the Royals' outfielders have combined for just seven home runs, the lowest total of any team in Major League Baseball.
Though Caglianone has only played eight games in Triple-A, fans are already growing restless about his major league debut. Fortunately, that day seems to be coming, and one top baseball insider spelled out a specific timeline on Thursday.
ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Thursday that Caglianone's debut could come in early June, following the conclusion of his first homestand with the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers, which wraps up on Sunday, Jun. 8.
"The Royals' Triple-A team is in the midst of a two-week homestand, and if Caglianone continues his solid outfield play and further cuts into his chase rate, he could debut soon thereafter, according to a source familiar with Kansas City's plans," Passan wrote.
Caglianone didn't play the outfield in college or in the minors last season, but he threw 99 miles per hour on the mound, so one would think he could become at least an average defender in right at the big-league level.
Meanwhile, the stark contrast between his incredible power and the Royals' total lack of it as a team cannot be overlooked.
The sooner we see Caglianone in the majors, the better off the Royals, and the entire sport of baseball, will be.
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