The Kansas City Royals have made their call—despite an absolutely dominant spring training, top prospect Jac Caglianone is heading to the minors.
Caglianone was nothing short of spectacular in his first big-league camp, slashing an insane .529 with a team-best three home runs and a monstrous 1.871 OPS. Twice, he registered exit velocities over 114 mph, cementing himself as one of the most powerful young hitters in the game. On March 9, he blasted a towering 444-foot home run, leaving fans and analysts alike wondering: How is this guy not on the Opening Day roster?
But the Royals had a tough decision to make. With Vinnie Pasquantino locked in at first base and Salvador Pérez sharing DH duties, there simply isn’t a clear path for Caglianone—yet.
Make no mistake: this isn’t about performance. It’s strategy. The Royals want their young slugger to get regular at-bats, and with no immediate spot available, starting in the minors ensures he continues his rapid development. But at this rate, keeping him down won’t last long.
The Royals have playoff aspirations, and Caglianone’s bat might be too lethal to keep out of the lineup for much longer. The countdown to his MLB debut has already begun—and when that call comes, it’s going to shake up Kansas City in a big way.
