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WATCH: Jac Caglianone gets called up to the Kansas City Royals

On3 imageby: Zach Abolverdi06/03/25ZachAbolverdi
Jac-Caglianone-Florida-Gators
Jac Caglianone makes his MLB debut on Tuesday. (Photo by Kansas City Royals)

Jac Caglianone planned to spend his Tuesday at the zoo. Instead, he will make his major league debut. The Gator Great was called up on Monday by the Kansas City Royals as a rookie.

Caglianone’s first MLB game is against the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday at 7:45 p.m.

Caglianone, Florida’s home run king, will become the Royals’ first hitter to debut in The Show within one year of being drafted since Bo Jackson in 1986, according to Rany Jazayerli.

Kansas City shared a video on social media of manager Mike Jirschele of the Omaha Storm Chasers, the Royals’ Triple-A affiliate, breaking the news to the 22-year-old Caglianone.

Jirschele made the most of the moment, at first asking Caglianone if he was fatigued after batting .319 with six home runs and 13 RBIs in just 12 games with the Storm Chasers.

“All right, seriously. How do you feel?” Jirschele asked. “Do you feel a little tired? Because you’ve been doing a lot of stuff. I mean, you’ve been doing outfield stuff and you’ve been taking your ground balls, everything.”

“Rusty’s been working me,” Caglianone said, referring to Rusty Kuntz, a longtime coach with the Royals organization. “But it’s been pretty good.”

That’s when Jirschele revealed why he really called Caglianone into his office.

“So, you feel like you’re at the point where you can help, like, them up there? Do you think you could?” Jirschele said.

“Yeah,” Caglianone said with a smile.

“All right, well, then you can get on the charter tomorrow night and go with them,” Jirschele said.

“Holy crap,” Caglianone said. “That sounds great.”

Caglianone will become the 86th Gator to debut in the MLB and the 34th player of the Kevin O’Sullivan era. He was the No. 6 overall draft pick in the 2024 MLB Draft.

In 50 Minor League games this season across Double-A and Triple-A, Caglianone blasted an MiLB-high 15 home runs on top of nine doubles while batting .322/.389/.593.

“Just remember, it’s still a game. It’s baseball. It’s a little higher level, but you know you can play,” Jirschele said. “All right, give me a hug.”

“Holy cow,” Caglianone said. “I need to call my dad.”

From 2022-24 at Florida, Caglianone slugged a program-record 75 home runs in just 165 career games and was a Unanimous First Team All-American in 2023 and 2024 while leading the Gators to back-to-back College World Series appearances.

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