When one thinks of Florida Gator legend Jac Caglianone, most think over towering home runs that make opposing pitchers question why they ever picked up a baseball in the first place. After leaving Florida as the all-time home runs leader in Gainesville, Caglianone was drafted 6th overall by the Kansas City Royals.
His time in the minor leagues looks like it is going to be a short one as Caglianone breezed through AA and was called up to Kansas City's AAA team, the Omaha Storm Chasers, this week.
And in his AAA debut, he got his first AAA hit.
It just wasn't in the manner most would expect it to be.
Jac Caglianone runs 90 feet to 1st base
Batting third in the lineup and playing 1st base for Omaha, Caglianone and crew took on the Salt Lake City Bees, the AAA affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels.
Caglianone struck out his first time and flew out to center field his second time.
But in the 6th inning, Caglianone made weak contact with a pitch that wound up being perfectly placed in the infield to enable him to gallop to 1st to make his first AAA hit an infield single.
Obviously, Caglianone isn't in Omaha with eyes on Kansas City for his ability to leg out infield singles. During his time with Northwest Arkansas, the AA affiliate for the Royals, Caglianone hit .322 with an OPS of .947.
In 38 games with the Naturals, he hit nine home runs with 43 RBIs. His strikeouts are still a bit high, but he did draw 19 walks in those 38 games.
Caglianone is considered the 10th best prospect in all of MLB. The Royals are currently 27-23, and while they are 5.5 games back of Detroit in the AL Central, they are also one game ahead of Houston for the final Wild Card spot, so they aren't in desperate need just yet.
But with current Kansas City first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino hitting just .229 with an OPS of .667, don't be shocked if Caglianone gets called up sooner rather than later if he keeps his pace up in Omaha.