Royals promote top prospect Jac Caglianone to ignite offense, hoping his power bat can lift Kansas City back into playoff contention.
There’s a moment in every season when a struggling team turns to hope, and for the Kansas City Royals, that hope now wears No. 21. Jac Caglianone, the organization’s top prospect, will make his much-anticipated major league debut after torching the minors with power, poise, and presence.
The call-up comes on the heels of a 1-0 loss to the Detroit Tigers — a game that didn’t just sting, but underscored a deeper problem: Kansas City can’t hit. At least not yet. But perhaps now, with the arrival of their prized left-handed bat, that’s about to change.
A Struggling Offense Meets a Powerful Swing
Sixty games into the season, Kansas City finds itself in a paradox. They’re 31-29, hanging around the playoff race, yet burdened with one of the worst offenses in baseball. Only the Colorado Rockies — locked in a season of misery — have scored fewer runs. The Royals’ lineup hasn’t just been quiet; it’s been nearly silent. They’ve managed just 194 total runs, with much of the damage coming in brief flashes rather than sustained firepower.
Get ready, Kansas City!
MLB’s No. 10 prospect Jac Caglianone has officially been called up to the @Royals Big League club 👀 pic.twitter.com/btIX0Heqlk
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) June 2, 2025
It’s why Caglianone’s call-up feels more urgent than hopeful. The Florida product has hit everywhere he’s played since being selected in the first round of the 2024 MLB Draft. This season alone, across Double-A and Triple-A, he’s posted a .323 average and a .991 OPS, with 15 home runs and 56 RBI in only 49 games. The Royals don’t need a spark. They need ignition. They need thunder. And they believe they’ve found it in a 6-foot-5 slugger still learning where to stand in the outfield.
Growing Pains in the Grass, But Big League Potential
Caglianone’s bat is polished. His glove? Still a work in progress. After serving primarily as a pitcher and first baseman for the Gators, Caglianone has spent this season transitioning to the outfield — a position that demands quick reads, confident routes, and refined instincts. None of those come overnight. In a Royals organization that values outfield defense as much as any team in the league, Caglianone is still learning on the job.
May I interest you in all 18 Home Runs Jac Caglianone has hit this year? Yes it’s time #Royals fans, he’s here. pic.twitter.com/WpLp5aELPp
— Jared Koller (@JaredKollerKC) June 2, 2025
But necessity often shortens timelines. Hunter Renfroe was recently designated for assignment after hitting just .168 with a .483 OPS. Drew Waters has offered the best production among Royals outfielders this season — and even that comes with a modest .703 OPS. The gloves may be there, but the bats have not. Which is why Kansas City is willing to trade perfection for power, at least for now.
Caglianone brings more than numbers. He brings a presence, a left-handed bat that pitchers must respect, and a ceiling that touches All-Star potential. There will be mistakes. There will be moments of adjustment. But there’s also the very real possibility that he lifts this lineup in ways no one else on the roster can.
Playoff Hopes and the Promise of Now
Despite the offensive woes, the Royals sit just two games out of second in the American League Central. Their pitching staff — stingy, efficient, and quietly among the best in baseball — has kept them afloat. And after a playoff run last season that ended in the ALDS, Kansas City believes this year’s version has another shot to break through. But they can’t do it scoring two runs a night.
In calling up Jac Caglianone, the Royals aren’t just betting on talent. They’re betting on timing — that the right bat, arriving at the right moment, can shift the arc of their season. He’s not a savior. He’s a 21-year-old with a sweet swing and a chance. But in baseball, sometimes that’s all you need.
