The former 6th overall pick is starting to look like the player Kansas City drafted him to be.
Kansas City Royals outfielder Jac Caglianone struggled through a rough introduction to the big leagues in 2025.
The 23-year-old, who went sixth overall in the 2024 draft after one of the most dominant two-way college careers in recent memory, posted just a .532 OPS across 62 games during his rookie season.
Both his average and power numbers fell well below expectations, and the transition from college to the majors looked like it would take more time than some had hoped.
That version of Caglianone is fading quickly, and the numbers coming out of his second MLB season tell a completely different story.
He is hitting .275 with 12 home runs and a .829 OPS in 2026, and the turnaround has been especially dramatic in June.
The left-handed slugger has launched seven home runs this month alone while raising his average nearly 30 points from where it sat in late May.
He capped a strong Cardinals series on June 21 by going 2-for-3 with two home runs, three RBI, two walks and three runs scored in a 12-10 loss to St. Louis.
Quatraro Sees Something Different
After the game, Royals manager Matt Quatraro did not hold back when talking about what he has been watching from his young outfielder.
"Yeah, he's pretty locked in, that's for sure," Quatraro said. "I mean, you see the huge power. Those balls are not wall scrapers. And he's seeing the ball really well."
That last part might be the most telling piece. During his difficult 2025, Caglianone had trouble making consistent contact and adjusting to big league pitching.
The raw power was always there, and anyone who watched him at Florida knows the ball jumps off his bat differently than most hitters, but the ability to put it together on a nightly basis was not.
Turning Into the Star Kansas City Expected
What has changed in 2026 is that Caglianone is pairing that explosive power with real plate discipline and sharper pitch recognition.
His on-base percentage has climbed to .349, a massive jump from his rookie year, and his strikeout numbers have come down as well.
He is not just swinging hard and hoping for the best anymore.
He is picking his spots, working counts and making pitchers pay when they come into the zone.
The Royals sit at 32-46 on the season, and the 2026 campaign has been a disappointing one for a team that made the postseason in 2024.
But Caglianone's emergence is exactly the kind of development that gives a franchise real hope for the future.
When Kansas City entered the year with big questions about their roster, one of the biggest was whether their former top pick could become the impact bat they envisioned on draft night.
Right now, he is answering that question loudly, and even his own manager cannot help but take notice.
