Pete Alonso calls Jac Caglianone 'No. 1 pick' in upcoming MLB Draft

Florida Gators star Jac Caglianone got a lot of love from New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso.

During a mic’d up session of the Mets’ spring training game against the New York Yankees Tuesday, Alonso predicted Caglianone to be the No. 1 pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. Not only that, he and Mets outfielder Harrison Bader hyped up Wyatt Langford, a former Gator now Texas Ranger.

But Caglianone, who can pitch and hit bombs, is set to be the top selection according to Alonso and Bader.

“Yep,” Alonso told ESPN’s Karl Ravech about Langford being the next big thing. “And then same with Jac Caglianone. Future (No. 1) pick in the draft. But I mean, that guy has something special. He can do it all.”

Ravech then described the immense stature and talent of Caglianone.

“If you haven’t seen Jac Caglianone, he’s a left handed pitcher, throws 99 to 100 (MPH) and absolutely bashes the ball,” Ravech said. “Caglianone is that guy.”

Bader even cracked a joke.

“He’s big enough to eat hay,” Bader said.

Langford was the No. 4 pick in last year’s MLB Draft by the Texas Rangers and there’s speculation he could be on the Opening Day Roster. He was a dominant outfield for the Gators throughout his college career, helping Florida to the College World Series finals in 2023.

Caglianone was a flat out beast last season. As a batter, he had a .323 average, 33 home runs, 90 RBI, 91 hits, scored 74 runs and had a .389 on base percentage.

Pitching last year, he had a 7-4 record, a 4.34 ERA, 74.2 innings pitched and had 87 strikeouts.

He showed why he is one of the best two-way players in college baseball on Sunday. Caglianone got the start at pitcher and earned the win, setting a new career high with 11 strikeouts in an 8-4 victory against Miami.

Caglianone pitched six scoreless innings, allowing only three hits before ending his day on the mound. That wasn’t his only contribution, however, as he also went 3-for-5 at the plate, including hitting a solo home run in the top of the fifth inning.

The home run was the fourth of the season for Caglianone, ranking him second on the team through 11 games. He is also third with 18 strikeouts across nine innings and a 3.00 ERA.

Caglianone was named the Preseason Two-Way Player of the Year and has so far lived up to that billing in the young season. He’s sure to continue to be a leader for Florida, which is aiming to reach the College World Series for the second straight season.