MLB insider hints at 2025 debut for Jac Caglianone with Kansas City Royals

Spring training allows for a few prospects to produce some buzz, especially if they are on the verge of making their Major League debut. Jac Caglianone is no different as he enters his second full season inside the Kansas City Royals organization. The sixth overall pick in 2023 out of Florida, Caglianone may be getting the call-up sooner rather than later.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan was highlighting a few players making noise at spring training, naming Caglianone as one. He then hinted at the power hitter making his debut at some point during the 2025 season. With it, though, comes a potential position change.

“Kansas City has something of a first-base glut with Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez, so Caglianone will get outfield reps this year and could find himself playing in a corner, accelerating the timeline for his big league debut to perhaps as soon as this summer,” Passan said.

Caglianone was drafted as a two-way player after pitching and hitting during his time at Florida. Last year, his first full season in the minors, saw the end of his pitching career. Kansas City decided they wanted Caglianone to be a full-time hitter and for good reason.

He wound up playing in 50 games last season, split between High-A Quad Cities and the Arizona Fall League. Looking at just his Quad Cities stats, Caglianone hit .241 with two home runs, 14 RBIs, and an OPS of .690. The strikeout-to-walk ratio was not great either, being punched out 26 times compared to seven walks.

Passan did admit some “seasoning” was needed before joining the team in Kansas City. But getting some time in the outfield does show the Royals are thinking about where he would slot into the lineup short-term.

Making it to the Majors after a year and a half in the minors might seem unusual but Caglianone would certainly not be the first from his draft class to debut. No. 1 overall pick Paul Skenes was dominant during the 2024 season and won NL Rookie of the Year. Caglianone’s Florida teammate, Wyatt Langford, broke camp with the Texas Rangers and despite a slow start played well in September to continue optimism inside the organization.

Caglianone could be next and is hoping to make an impact once called up. Kansas City broke an eight-year postseason drought last season and even advanced to the ALDS before losing to the New York Yankees. Advancing even further is now the goal with its young crop of stars.