Jac Caglianone named NCBWA National Player of the Month
GAINESVILLE, FLA — Florida first baseman Jac Caglianone’s hot start to the 2023 season has earned him National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Player of the Month. The organization announced the honor on Friday afternoon. It’s the first time Caglianone has earned a National Player of the year honor.
Caglianone, a 6-foot-5, 245-pound sophomore, had a prolific opening month in 2023. He hit .429 (15-for-45) with seven homers and 14 RBI, and added two doubles while scoring 12 runs. He registered a 1.086 slugging and a .487 on-base percentage. Caglianone has led the Gators to a No. 2 ranking and an 8-1 start to the year in games vs. Charleston Southern, South Florida, Cincinnati, and Jacksonville. He belted three homers and drove in five in a series finale vs. the Bearcats. After playing a midweek game vs. Jacksonville on Wednesday to open March, Caglianone belted his nation-leading eighth homer of the year and has five in his last three games and eight over his last seven games.
Caglianone isn’t just getting it done at the plate. The left-hander is 1-0 on the season with a staff best 11 1/3 innings pitched. He’s allowed only four hits and three runs, while fanning 15 with a 2.38 ERA.
“He’s done it his whole life and I wanted to prepare him for next weekend. Other than the first, I thought he threw good. He got into a really good rhythm and groove. I think he probably got a little bit tired there at the end. Keep in mind, this is only his second start. To get him to 90 pitches was good,” O’Sullivan said after Caglianone’s start against Cincinnati. “He obviously wasn’t as sharp as his first outing, but I thought he pitched really good after the first and made some pitches when he needed to, got two pop-ups to Luke [Heyman]. We’re asking a lot of him and if he’s going to end up being our Sunday starter, that’s a pretty good Sunday starter.”
After Caglianone was pulled from the game as a pitcher, he belted three home runs in three consecutive at-bats. Florida set a program record with eight home runs as a team in the game.
This marks the eighth-consecutive year that the NCBWA has honored a player and pitcher of the month. Founded in 1962, the NCBWA is dedicated to the advancement of college baseball. Membership is open to writers, broadcasters, and publicists of the sport.
Florida will host No. 22 Miami for a three-game set this weekend with the first game Friday at 6:30. Caglianone is scheduled to start the series finale on Sunday at noon.
