Florida Gators’ first baseman and left-handed pitcher Jac Caglianone has been selected 6th overall by the Kansas City Royals in the 2024 MLB Draft. The selection marks Florida’s 20th first round pick in program history (26th including the post-draft secondary phase) and 14th since Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan’s 2008 arrival, which ranks second nationally.
Caglianone becomes Florida’s 4th highest draft pick in program history, trailing only Mike Zunino (No.3) Wyatt Langford (No.4) and Jonathan India (No.5) while tying John Burke and AJ Puk at No.6.
In his three-year Gators career, Caglianone set Florida’s career home run record with 75 long balls, breaking Matt LaPorta’s record of 74 set back in 2007. Caglianone also holds Florida’s single season home run record with 35 (2024), breaking his own record of 33 set in 2023.
The Tampa, Florida native arrived in Gainesville in 2022, where the freshman would hit .288 seven home runs across 28 games.
The 6’5 slugger broke out the following season, establishing himself as one of the best players in college baseball. Caglianone set the at the time NCAA BBCOR record for home runs in a single season with 33. He was also named a consensus First Team All-American and the ABCA National Position Player of the Year as well as a Golden Spikes Award Finalist.
Caglianone led Florida to a 54-17 record and a trip to the CWS Finals, where the Gators would come just one game short of claiming the program’s second National Championship.
Caglianone continued to improve in 2024, setting career highs in batting average (.419), runs (83), home runs (35), slugging percentage (.875), and on base percentage (.544) while pitching to a 5-2 record and a 4.76 ERA across 73.2 innings.
The progression we’ve seen from Caglianone year after year make him an intriguing MLB prospect. The Royals are getting an elite defensive first baseman that is truly a gifted offensive power-hitter that has room to grow.
What they’re saying about Caglianone
MLB.com
“A 6-foot-5 physical beast, Caglianone has top of the class left-handed raw power, and he gets to it, as evidenced by his Division I-leading 33 home runs in 2023. He’s very aggressive in the box and there was concern about his tendency to chase pitches out of the zone (44 percent chase rate last year), but he doesn’t strike out a lot and makes a lot of hard contact. He’s cut his miss and chase rates in 2024 and has a miniscule strikeout rate this spring. He’s solid defensively at first base as well.”
The Athletic
“I think Caglianone is just a hitter and would be surprised if anyone tried to keep him a two-way guy, especially because he needs work on his approach and as a pitcher he’s a reliever at best. You’re betting on 40-homer upside here, and he has hit over 60 homers in his last two years for Florida, facing the best competition in the country.”
Prospects Live
“He has top-of-the-scale bat speed with stupidly quick hands, exploding through the zone and utilizing double-plus power to all fields. He’s improved his contact rates, but he’s still chasing at a high clip and he’s a landlocked first base profile defensively.”
Baseball America
“He’s a massive presence with a 6-foot-5, 250-pound frame and is one of the better college two-way players since Louisville’s Brendan McKay. Caglianone led the country with 33 home runs as a sophomore in 2023, then put together a second straight 30-plus homer season in 2024, when he also drastically improved his strikeout and walk rates.”
Jac Caglianone Career Accolades
2024 First Team Academic All-American
2024 Academic All-American Team Member of the Year (D1B)
2024 First Team All-American (D1B, BA, ABCA, NCBWA)
2024 John Olerud 2-Way Player of the Year
2024 District 3 Player of the Year (NCBWA)
2024 Perfect Game Two-Way Player of the Year
2024 All-SEC First Team
2024 Southeast First Team All-Region (ABCA)
2024 Stillwater Regional All-Tournament Team
2024 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Semifinalist
2024 SEC Pitcher of the Week (March 4)
2024 Perfect Game National Player of the Week (Week 3)
2024 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Watch List
2024 Preseason All-SEC First Team (1B)
2024 Preseason All-SEC Second Team (SP)
2024 Preseason Two-Way Player of the Year (PG)
2024 Preseason First Team All-American (D1B, BA, ABCA, NCBWA, PG)
2023 Italian American Baseball Foundation Future Star Award
2023 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team Member
2023 ABCA National Position Player of the Year
2023 Unanimous First Team All-American (D1B, BA, ABCA, NCBWA, PG)
2023 Golden Spikes Award Finalist
2023 First Team All-SEC
2023 NCBWA District 3 Player of the Year
2023 John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Finalist
2023 ABCA/Rawlings First Team All-Southeast Region
2023 NCAA Gainesville Regional All-Tournament Team
2023 SEC Player of the Week (Feb. 27, March 27)
2022 NCAA Gainesville Regional All-Tournament Team
2022 SEC All-Tournament Team