The case for Royals' Jac Caglianone to break out with big season for Kansas City

There was a point last season, just before Jac Caglianone was called up to the major leagues by the Kansas City Royals, when every rumor added a little bit of hype.

It was the kind of, "Is it really happening?" waiting game that excites an entire fanbase.

The problem is that once Caglianone got to MLB, he struggled mightily. The hype felt like it was for naught.

But there's still plenty of time. The 2026 season could be Caglianone's turnaround and breakout.

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ESPN's Alden Gonzalez made a convincing case for such an outcome in a new article on Wednesday, first explaining what happened in 2025 before looking ahead.

"Caglianone struggled in his first taste of the majors last year, slashing .157/.237/.295 in 232 plate appearances," Gonzalez writes. "It was also a lot to ask of him. The 2025 season represented Caglianone's first full season of pro ball, which saw him advance through Double-A and Triple-A, land in the majors and sit out extended time because of a hamstring strain, all while learning right field."

That rough season is in the past. Caglianone had been a two-way player in college, so he had all sorts of changes to adjust to in his approach to pro ball.

The hope is that now he has made those adjustments.

"Now that he has had a chance to breathe, the Royals are expecting big things from their 23-year-old former first-round pick," Gonzalez writes. "They need it. The Royals are trying to win the AL Central and will have no chance of doing so if they repeat a year that saw them score the fifth-fewest runs in the majors. Their offseason moves were subtle, and so their biggest chance of improving offensively will come down to whether Caglianone can translate his elite power to the highest level."

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The Royals could have one of the worst outfields in baseball if Caglianone doesn't lift the group on his shoulders and carry them.

They've got plenty of star power on the dirt, so it'll be up to Caglianone to keep up. He's got the natural talent. It's up to him to deliver.

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