Jac Caglianone reacts to breaking Division I home run record

Florida pitcher Jac Caglianone is smashing records amid a historic College World Series. Despite Caglianone’s position, the broken records aren’t coming from the mound.

On Sunday, the 6-foot-5 sophomore crushed his 32nd and 33rd home runs of the season to break the record for the most homers in a DI baseball season since the BBCOR (bat-ball coefficient restitution) took effect in the 2011 season.

Caglianone’s dingers on Sunday were just two in an offensive onslaught. The Gators dominated LSU 24-4, scoring the most runs ever in a CWS game. Despite putting on a historical performance, Caglianone isn’t worried about any individual accomplishments.

“The record’s cool and all but the biggest thing on my mind is winning tomorrow. You can’t — like Wyatt [Langford] said, you can’t take any of these runs into tomorrow. It’s a fresh ball game. And hopefully, our bullpen keeps doing what they’re doing, and I think we’ll be fine.”

NEW BBCOR HR RECORD 🚨

Jac Caglianone hits his 33rd long ball of the year to break Ivan Melendez (2022) record.

Oh yeah, and he’s starting on the bump tomorrow in a winner take all game for a national title 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/fIwt5vpRLU

— 11Point7: The College Baseball Podcast 🎙 (@11point7) June 25, 2023

While Caglianone isn’t focused on his record-shattering homers, the baseball world certainly is. The Florida native surpassed Ivan Melendez (32 home runs in 2022 for Texas) and Kris Bryant (31 home runs in 2013 for San Diego) to secure the record.

Even including seasons before the BBCOR took effect, Caglianone ranks ninth all-time in single-season home runs. If Caglianone wants to accomplish his ultimate goal, his team will need him to be as dangerous from the mound as he is from home plate.

The Golden Spikes Award Finalist is expected to be the starting pitcher for the Gators in Game 3 of the CWS. Caglianone last pitched on June 21 in UF’s win over TCU. Caglianone only delivered four strikeouts in the triumph while tossing out three walks.

Although his last outing wasn’t fantastic, Caglianone is a proven pitcher. The NCBWA Dick Howser Trophy Finalist has 85 strikeouts this season while holding a 3.68 ERA. Caglianone will have an opportunity to wipe away any consistencies in Game 3.

“The irony of the whole thing is, obviously, Jac has struggled a little bit throwing strikes in the middle part of the year,” Florida head coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “And I just felt like if we were ever going to have an opportunity to win the last game of the year he was going to have to stay in the rotation. He’ll have that opportunity tomorrow to pitch. So it’s kind of funny how things work out.”

Watch how things work out as the two teams square off at 7 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.