Pick Six! Royals select Caglianone No. 6 in first round of MLB Draft

Jeffrey Alan Caglianone had to wait, but not too long Sunday night. In the two or three days prior to Sunnday’s Major League Baseball Draft, consensus among experts was Florida’s All-American and winner of the Olerud Award as the nation’s top two-way player would go at No. 5 to the Chicago White Sox. The Sox passed, choosing Arkansas lefty Hagen Smith instead. The Kansas City Royals must have thought they were dreaming. They never once thought Jac Caglianone would be available at No. 6 so they got the guy they really and truly wanted, another building block to go with All-Star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr.

It was a perfect storm for the Royals when Cags was still available. They have a team batting average of .246 and they’re tied for 23rdamong Major League Baseball’s 30 teams with only 99 home runs in a homer happy season. The Royals desperately need a big time power bat – another Aaron Judge or Ohtani – and they got the hitter with the most power of anyone in this draft and the most of any player since former Gator Pete Alonso was chosen by the New York Mets in 2016. Against Jacksonville earlier in the season, Caglianone hit a 516 -foot home run that cleared the scoreboard at Condron Family Ballpark. The ball left his bat at 121 miles per hour, making it both the longest and hardest hit ball in either college or professional baseball in the Statcast era.  

When Caglianone’s name was called, he was announced as a two-way player, so the Royals must have a serious interest in Caglianone’s fast ball, which consistently hits 97-98 on the radar gun but has been known to go triple digits.

A two-time All-American at Florida, Caglianone leaves as the Gators’ all-time home run leader with 75, tied for eighth in college baseball history. In 2024, Caglianone hit .419 with 35 home runs and 72 RBI. He homered in nine straight games to tie an NCAA record, reached base in 62 of Florida’s 66 games including the last 52 as the Gators made it to the College World Series in Omaha. He walked 58 times, 31 intentionally. He struck out only 26 times. For his college career, Caglianone hit .355 with 75 homers and 189 RBI in 166 games. It should be noted that the Major League Baseball season is 162 games.

While Caglianone was the most feared slugger in all of college baseball, he could dominate on the mound when he was able to keep the ball in the strike zone. Caglianone didn’t pitch at Florida in his freshman season (2022) when he was recovering from Tommy John surgery. Midway through the season he became the DH. For Florida’s NCAA runner-up in 2023, Caglianone went 7-4 as the No. 3 starter behind first rounder Hurston Waldrep (Altanta Braves) and second rounder Brandon Sproat (New York Mets). He was the Sunday starter in 2024 but still was Florida’s top pitcher with a 5-2 record. For his two seasons on the mound,  Caglianone compiled a 12-6 career record with a 4.55 ERA and 170 strikeouts in 148-1/3 innings.

By dropping down one position in the draft, Caglianone lands with a young team with lots of talent that is on its way up. The Royals are 52-47 at the All-Star break, seven games behind American League Central Division leader Cleveland and 2.5 behind second place Minnesota. Compare that to the White Sox, who are mired in last place of the division. Chicago’s 27-71 record is the worst by far in all of Major League Baseball.

The Royals are one of the youngest teams in MLB with four players selected to the American League All-Star team: Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., catcher Salvador Perez, and pitchers Seth Lugo and Cole Ragans. Witt is hitting .323 with 16 homers and 63 RBI, while Perez is hitting .282 with 17 homers and 62 RBI. Lugo is 11-4 with a 2.48 ERA while Ragans is 6-6 with a 3.16 ERA. Also on the pitching staff is former UF All-American Brady Singer (5-6, 3.20 ERA), a first round draft pick of the Royals in 2018.

By drafting Caglianone as a two-way player, the Royals have to figure out how to work him into the pitching rotation. He’s a gold glove type at first base, but the Royals have a young first baseman in Vinnie Pasquantino, who is having his best season ever with 11 homers and 62 RBI, although he is hitting only .246. So, would the Royals look at Cags as a pitcher/DH or as a 1B who occasionally starts or throws in relief? Over the last few games, Perez has been the DH while Freddy Fermin has caught. The regular DH for much of the season has been  25-year-old Nelson Velazquez (.200, 8 HR, 27 RBI).

Caglianone is the 14th Gator taken in the first round since Kevin O’Sullivan became the UF head coach in 2008.  In the last three years, four Gators have been chosen in the first round – Caglianone, Wyatt Langford (Texas, No. 4), Waldrep (Atlanta, No. 24) and Sterlin Thompson (Colorado, No. 31).

The slot value for Caglianone is $7,213,800 from a bonus pool of $13,023,300, so he will be starting life with a rather nice financial cushion.

What they’re saying about Caglianone:

David Seifert, D1Baseball: “He’s a free swinger with a singular purpose that is to crush the ball. Inherently, this approach drags down his hit tool, but he counters it with a low strikeout rate and consistent, hard contact. He also hits it hard to all fields with just a 3 mph deviation from his pull side to opposite field contact. In one season Cags lowered his chase rate from 41% in 2023 to 37% this season. He also answered the critics by cutting his strikeout rate from 18.2% to 8.2%. At the same time, he tripled his walk rate from 5.3% to 18.4% and increased his ISO to .456, up from .415 in 2023. Only a special talent is capable of such improvement, and Jac is that guy. He’s also the guy who homered in nine consecutive games this season and banged one an estimated 516 feet … Cags is a present above-average defender at first base with very good hands and plenty of range. It might be a stretch to call him a future Gold Glover, but his defense projects to be plus in the major leagues. He also adds significant value and versatility with his ability to pitch (reliever profile), if/when that time comes, as well as intrigue as a potential right fielder.”

David Schoenfeld, ESPN: “Imagine Bobby Witt Jr. batting in front of a 40-homer-hitting Caglianone? That's what the Royals are hoping for -- and this is definitely an offense that needs some juice besides Witt, Salvador Perez and Vinnie Pasquantino. Note the Royals announced Caglianone as a two-way player, so it's possible they will try to develop him as a two-way player. With Pasquantino at first base, Jactani could turn into a DH/SP ... sound familiar?”

Jonathan Mayo, MLB.com: “A tremendous player who has a 70-grade fastball from the left side on the bump and tremendous power at the plate, Caglianone was announced as a two-way player when his name was called, and the Royals plan to give him a shot to do both. If I had to guess, his future will be punishing pitches, not delivering them (if he doesn't stick as a two-way player). His lack of swing-and-miss given his power is impressive.”

Edward Sutelan, The Sporting News:  “There was some talk Caglianone could go second overall. Perhaps even a dark horse to go first overall. Instead, he slides all the way to sixth. Caglianone cut down on his strikeout rate in his junior year, even if the chase rates are still a tad high. He demolishes baseballs with explosive power and has middle-of-the-order upside. Announced as a two-way player, Caglianone throws triple-digits from the left side, but his control will likely keep him off the mound in the pros. That he's likely only headed to the pros as a hitter doesn't diminish his value in the slightest as he has arguably the highest upside of any college hitter in the class.”

Ben Badler, Baseball America: “In terms of pure talent, it will be hard for any player in the 2024 class to match what Caglianone brings to the table. 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 has the power to lead the league in home runs, a la Pete Alonso, who, like Caglianone, is a product of Tampa’s Plant High and UF.”

UF signee Kellon Lindsey goes No. 23 to the Los Angeles Dodgers

Shortstop Kellon Lindsey (Wauchula, FL Hardee County), reported as the fastest player in the 2024 draft, was taken with the 23rdpick by the Los Angeles Dodgers. A former high school football quarterback, Lindsey projects either as a shortstop or center fielder at the next level. He is considered one of the most, if not THE most athletic player in the first round of the draft.

Lindsey has a slot value of $3.68 million. Given that it’s the Dodgers and the amount of money, it’s almost an impossibility that he will say no and come to the University of Florida.  

Writes Dan Mullen of ESPN: “When it comes to athleticism and explosiveness, Lindsey is one of the elite prospects in this class. The downside of his profile is that he simply has not faced the same level of competition as many of the players who have come off the board before him. But, like the Orioles taking Honeycutt with the previous pick, this is a case where the organization matters as much as the draft spot, and the Dodgers landing a player drawing Turner comps here is scary for the rest of the league.”

Edward Sutelan, The Sporting News: “On paper, Lindsey is a slight reach, with some expecting he would have fallen between the first and second rounds. But the Dodgers always seem to perform well in the draft, so they've earned the benefit of the doubt. It's not hard to see what Los Angeles sees in Lindsey. He's arguably the fastest player in the draft and in that 6-2 frame, there's plenty of raw power still left for him to reach. Lindsey makes consistent contact and should stick at shortstop, which give him a high floor among prep players.”

Jonathan Mayo, MLB.com: “He has plus-plus speed and took big steps forward in his swing decisions along with his ability to play shortstop. It’s the second straight year the Dodgers have taken a premium prep athlete after taking Kendall George last year.”