Kansas City Royals outfielder Jac Caglianone is a breakout candidate heading into the 2026 MLB season. He is among the most popular players at Royals' spring training camp as well. It seems like everyone is talking about him. For Caglianone, he feels much more prepared for the spring in 2026, something he recently discussed, via Anne Rogers of MLB.com.

"I feel a lot better in game situations," Caglianone said. "I’m not super amped up in my first Spring Training anymore. There’s a purpose in this, and it’s to get ready for [March 27]."

The Royals believe in Caglianone. He was an exciting prospect in 2025, and the Royals ultimately gave him 62 games of big league action last year. While he did hit seven home runs, Caglianone underwhelmed overall. He slashed just .157/.237/.295 across his 232 plate appearances.

The power was present, but the consistency was nowhere to be found. The good news is that the 23-year-old still has plenty of time to put it all together.

He is expected to be on the Royals' 2026 Opening Day roster. One has to imagine that a normal spring training should help him feel more comfortable for the upcoming season. Caglianone seems to already be locked in, as he is hitting .375/.444/.750 to go along with a 1.194 OPS and a home run so far this spring. It has only been three contests and eight at-bats, but Caglianone has impressed nonetheless. 

Caglianone is set to play a crucial role in Kansas City's outfield this year. Overall, the Royals' outfield is arguably their biggest area of weakness on the entire roster. The infield projects to find success with star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. leading the way, while the Cole Ragans-led starting rotation has potential. Meanwhile, the bullpen could be quite impressive.

The outfield features more uncertainty, however. Caglianone is an exciting young player but, as mentioned, he struggled in 2025 and has yet to prove himself in MLB. Isaac Collins should be reliable and Kyle Isbel is not a bad player, but the Royals' overall outfield outlook is far from ideal. 

A breakout Caglianone campaign would instantly give the all-around outfield a pivotal boost, though. The potential is undeniable. The ceiling is high. Now Royals fans will wait to see if Jac Caglianone can live up to the lofty expectations during the upcoming 2026 MLB season.

For now, all eyes are on Caglianone as spring training continues to move forward.