The Royals introduced the signing of sixth total choose Jac Caglianone. Bonus phrases weren’t disclosed. The choice comes with a slot worth of roughly $7.21MM.
Caglianone is a two-way participant from the College of Florida. His greater upside professionally is as a place participant. Caglianone topped 30 residence runs in every of his ultimate two seasons in Gainesville. He hit 35 longballs — second amongst Division I hitters behind #3 choose Charlie Condon’s 37 — with a .419/.544/.875 slash line as a junior. Caglianone walked at an 18.4% clip whereas placing out solely 8.2% of the time. He has top-of-the-scale uncooked energy that provides him the prospect to hit in the course of a lineup.
Nonetheless, pre-draft scouting experiences raised some questions on his pure hitting capacity. Baseball America and The Athletic’s Keith Regulation every pointed to considerations about Caglianone’s chase price in addition to an inclination to get pull-oriented in his swing. Caglianone is probably going restricted to first base defensively, so he’ll have to hit lots to offer worth.
He’s not as extremely considered a pitching prospect. Whereas he can run his fastball into the higher 90s, his subpar management factors to a bullpen future. It appears seemingly the Royals will prioritize his offensive growth within the hope that he strikes rapidly and establishes himself as a 30+ residence run hitter.
