Only one name in Royals Spring Training gets the people going. There’s one man that the Royals believe can be a superstar in the making. In the Royals’ quest to return to the World Series, they may have found the missing piece to their championship puzzle. At least, that’s what they hope.

When the Royals drafted Jac Caglianone No. 6 overall in 2024, it was understood that his path to the Major Leagues would be relatively quick. He’s an advanced hitter who can also throw 95 mph from the mound with light tower power from the left side of the dish. When the Royals announced that he would be joining the club in Spring Training, I think everyone’s antennae shot up. Is he closer to the Majors than even we expected? The Royals sure are banking on it.

Caglianone brings a certain palpable buzz around camp. Royals General Manager J.J. Picollo has waxed poetic about Cag’s makeup, and there is serious hope and excitement that he could be up with the big league squad at some point this season.

“We were really impressed with the way he handled himself from a maturity standpoint this year,” Picollo said. “That’s one of the biggest determining factors in our minds.

That was loud

-Royals Manager Matt Quatraro on the sound from Jac Caglianone’s bat

The Royals may need to recalibrate their expectations for him right off the bat after he launched a missile out of the park at 115.4 mph for his first hit in spring training, according to Statcast. The sound of the bat sounds different when Jac connects with the baseball. He’s built for raw power at 6″5′ and 250 lbs, which is exactly what the Royals need him to provide for them this year. Royals manager Matt Quatraro took notice when Cags approached the plate.

“That was loud,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “And it didn’t look like a huge effort on his part, either. We know he’s got huge pop, but to be able to put that good of a swing on the ball in a game like that, close game, controlling his emotions like that, it was good to see.”

While Caglianone has the talent to make it to the Major Leagues, there will undoubtedly be some roadblocks in his first full professional baseball season. The good news is he will have someone in the clubhouse who can talk him through it and relate to his path. Not long ago, Bobby Witt Jr. was the No. 2 overall pick in the MLB Draft. He was drafted in 2019 and was in the major leagues by Opening Day in 2022. The difference with Witt Jr. is that he came straight out of high school with a steeper learning curve than Cagilanone. The 22-year-old Floridian spent three seasons at the University of Florida, which could translate to a more advanced approach at the plate. Caglianone knows how lucky he is to join this Royals group and has taken advantage of every moment.

“Being able to share a field with Bobby and Vinnie, being able to see how much influence Salvy has with being the captain and go-to guy is really exciting,” Caglianone said in a phone conversation. “I’m super excited to learn from them. 

Major League teams typically take it slow with their top prospects and don’t rush them up the ladder. The Royals are no exception; they haven’t done so since Alex Gordon in 2006. (The exception is Brandon Finnegan, but he was on the 40-man roster in 2015 because he came up at the end of ‘14 after being drafted that summer.) Picollo credited the evolution of college athletics and Caglianone’s ability. The SEC conference is the best baseball conference in the country. Guys are facing future MLB talent on every team they play.

“To put a guy in an environment with a bunch of Major League players, they’ve got to be mature, Picollo said. And then, obviously, his ability. Watching what he did and the adjustments he made from [High-A] Quad Cities to the Fall League, he kept getting better and better.”

Picollo also described Caglianone’s power as “crazy” and that he is extremely confident in his abilities. Having the best two-way player (he can pitch and hit at the plate) available at your slot to pick was a dream for this Royals organization. They hit a grand slam with the pick of Witt Jr., and they may have struck gold again with Caglianone.

Make no mistake, he was drafted because of his bat, and that is what the Royals will have him focus on this season. It’s the best way for him to impact the Royals immediately. He’s a first baseman by trade, but I’ll be curious to see if he can play a corner outfield spot since that is a weak spot in the Royals lineup.

A promotion to the Big Leagues could be in Jac’s near future. I have a hard time believing that he will be in the Opening Day lineup on March 27, but if he hits the ground running in the Minors, it would not be far-fetched to think he could get the call-up by late July after the All-Star break. You never know how injuries or trades could play out, so we will have to wait and see how Caglianone adjusts in his first full professional season.