Every young baseball player’s dream is to one day hear their name called in the MLB Draft, stepping foot on the big league diamond. For Florida baseball former first baseman and starting pitcher, Jac Caglianone, that dream became reality Sunday night.
Caglianone didn’t have to wait very long to hear his name called in the first round. He was selected to the Kansas City Royals with the sixth overall pick in the first round of the MLB Draft to make Caglianone the highest drafted first baseman in Florida baseball history.
It was an illustrious collegiate career for Caglianone with record-breaking home run marks, First-Team All-American honors and a Golden Spikes Finalist nomination. His three years donning the orange and blue will never be forgotten by Florida fans, but his legacy on the diamond is far from over.
The left-handed slugger’s production in college was nothing short of impressive.
Following his second consecutive trip to the Men’s College World Series, Caglianone captured the all-time program home run record of 75.
He was projected to be one of the top picks in the 2024 draft prior to his junior season at Florida, and his superb campaign for the Gators this year solidified himself in the lottery.
Caglianone started all 66 games for Florida as a junior, mashing for a .419 batting average while breaking his own single-season home run record with 35 long balls. He was no slouch defensively either, recording 353 put outs with just four errors in 2024.
Although the southpaw’s pitching days may be behind him – numerous media outlets have him slated to only play first base by the time his minor league debut comes.
Nevertheless, Caglianone will bring a powerful bat to the Kansas City lineup and will have the potential to make an immediate impact on a major league roster if he can get off to a hot start in the minors.
Contact Max Tucker at mtucker@alligator.org. Follow him on X @Max_Tuckr1.
Max Tucker is a junior transfer student at UF. After obtaining his A.A. in Journalism from Santa Fe College in 2023, he chose further his education at Florida's College of Journalism and Communications. Max is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Science in Journalism with a specialization in sports and media. He enjoys golfing and going to the beach with his friends in his free time.
