Former Florida baseball star and current Kansas City Royals outfielder Jac Caglianone is set to represent Team Italy in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, continuing a journey that’s taken him from Gainesville stardom to one of baseball’s global stages.

Caglianone confirmed his decision on Monday, saying the choice had been in motion for quite some time.

“I’m gonna play with Italy,” Caglianone said. “Puerto Rico kinda reached out late, only a couple months ago, but I’ve been talking to Italy for years about it. So I already committed.”

While Puerto Rico made a late push to add him to its roster, Caglianone’s ties to Italy run deeper. The 22-year-old slugger, whose family has Italian heritage, has been in contact with Italy’s national baseball program since before his breakout year as a Gator.

Known for his two-way dominance with Florida, Caglianone became one of college baseball’s biggest names before going to the big leagues. He was drafted sixth overall by the Royals in the 2024 MLB draft and has since transitioned to a full-time hitter.

Caglianone has faced his share of growing pains in his first year as a big leaguer, batting .157 with seven homers and 18 RBI over 62 games. Still, his raw power, athleticism and competitive edge make him a great addition to an Italian roster looking to make some noise.

The 2026 World Baseball Classic is set to begin March 5-11, with pool play taking place across four international sites: Tokyo Dome (Japan), Daikin Park (Houston, Texas), loanDepot Park (Miami) and Hiram Bithorn Stadium (San Juan, Puerto Rico).

The quarterfinals will be held March 13-14 in both Houston and Miami, followed by the semifinals and championship rounds in Miami later that week. Fans can purchase ticket strips for all venues now, with single-game tickets expected to go on sale in the coming months.

The entire tournament will be broadcast in the United States on FOX Sports.

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