Kansas City Royals slugger Jac Caglianone was dialed in while addressing a swarm of reporters at his locker Tuesday night.
There were no frills or playful moments. Caglianone, who sported a full beard, listened intently as questions came his way rapid-fire. He answered each one with direct statements reflective of his eventful first season as a big leaguer.
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After missing a chunk of his rookie campaign, Caglianone is back with the Royals. And this time, it’s all business.
“I know what to expect now,” Caglianone said. “You know, these guys, everybody is up here for a reason. Pitchers are good, but I also know myself and I know what I can do.”
Caglianone, 22, tore through the minor leagues after being selected sixth overall in the 2024 MLB Draft by the Royals. He dominated each stop and was deemed ready for the big leagues in early June.
The Royals brought him up to spark their offense. Caglianone had obliterated Triple-A pitching in a short stint with the Omaha Storm Chasers.
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There was a homer binge and a scorching hot streak. National outlets raved about his production and fans implored the Royals to bring him up. There were social media campaigns and buzzworthy highlights every night.
Caglianone was billed as the next big star.
However, baseball has a way of restoring order. Caglianone arrived with promise but had a rough start to his MLB career. He hit .147 with five home runs and 10 RBIs in 41 games with the Royals.
Caglianone also went through some difficult stretches. At times, he got frustrated due to the lack of success at the plate. The Royals still granted him a starting role and time to adjust to major-league pitching.
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Then, Caglianone got hurt.
Caglianone suffered a left hamstring strain against the Cleveland Guardians in Game 1 of a doubleheader on July 26. He didn’t play in the nightcap and was placed on the 10-day injured list a day later.
Kansas City Royals right fielder Jac Caglianone (14) reacts to a call by home plate umpire Willie Traynor during the fourth inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on June 19, 2025.
The injury served a dual purpose. Caglianone had a chance to heal and restore his confidence with his swing and hitting mechanics.
“I used it more so like a little reset,” Caglianone said of the injury. “Just kind of fine-tuned some things to get back up here and contribute for these last 24 games.”
Caglianone went back to the drawing board. He worked with Triple-A Omaha hitting coaches and minor-league coordinators to make adjustments, particularly with his approach at the plate.
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There were drills with Storm Chasers hitting coach Bijan Rademacher in the batting cage. Caglianone worked to see more pitches and draw favorable counts throughout his rehab assignment.
As the hamstring healed, Caglianone leaned on assistant hitting coach Darin Everson to figure out the best way to formulate a game plan to attack pitchers.
“I mean, the hammy felt good throughout,” Caglianone said. “I mean, I never had any problems with it or anything like that. It was more so trying to work on what we have been working on. Just focusing on good pitches to hit, staying within my strengths, and I think it worked out well down there. I’m just hoping to carry it over.”
The Royals know Caglianone can hit home runs. His raw power was a major factor in why they drafted him out of the University of Florida. Now, the club wants to see him evolve into a more complete hitter.
Royals outfielder Jac Caglianone, right, rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the fourth inning of a Wednesday, July 9, 2025 Major League Baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City.
This time around, Caglianone isn’t guaranteed a starting role. The Royals added key veterans at the MLB trade deadline in Mike Yastrzemski, Randal Grichuk and Adam Frazier. The three have performed well since arriving in Kansas City.
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Caglianone didn’t start Tuesday’s game against the Los Angeles Angels. He will still get an opportunity to play, but the Royals are also in the middle of a playoff race.
Prior to Wednesday’s game, the Royals were 2 ½ games behind the Seattle Mariners for the third and final American League wild-card spot. The Royals will face the Mariners from Sept. 16-18 at Kauffman Stadium.
“We’re going to find out on a nightly basis, right,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said of Caglianone and Carter Jensen joining the club. “We need to win. So those guys are here to help us win in any way they can — whether that’s pinch hitting, whether that’s getting the start or whether that’s going in for defense or pinch running. They understand that every game is important and they’re here to get that experience.”
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Caglianone is confident he can impress in his return to the big leagues.
His rehab stint allowed him to play without pressure to perform. He was able to regain his form, grow as a player and return with a roadmap for success because he had been there before.
“It kind of gave me a blueprint,” Caglianone said. “Gave me what I know I needed to work on to get back to start having some success up here and just help contribute to this team.”