The three-time Super Bowl champion, whose father Pat Mahomes Sr. pitched in the majors, has maintained a strong passion for baseball since his days as a dual-sport athlete.
Mahomes still actively supports the Dallas Mavericks and roots for Texas Tech teams across all major sports. The 29-year-old also keeps close tabs on the teams he co-owns, including the NWSL’s Kansas City Current, MLS club Sporting Kansas City, and the F1 Alpine Team.
Mahomes has good reason to celebrate Caglianone’s call-up. In his first full pro season, 22-year-old Jac Caglianone has torched Double- and Triple-A pitching, slashing .322/.389/.593 with 15 home runs and 56 RBIs over 50 games. Since his promotion to Triple-A, he’s stayed hot, batting .319/.370/.723 with six homers in just 12 games.
Jac Caglianone with the Royals
Jac Caglianone, a 6-foot-5, 250-pound slugger from the University of Florida, starred as a two-way player in college before shifting to full-time hitter after the Royals drafted him last July.
Though he started at first base, he’s mainly played outfield in Triple-A and is expected to do the same when he joins the Royals Tuesday in St. Louis. Caglianone is likely to get most of his playing time in the outfield, as the Royals entered Sunday without any active outfielders posting even league-average offense.
Article Continues BelowThe Royals need offense from any source they can find. Heading into Sunday, only two of the 10 players with at least 100 plate appearances—Bobby Witt Jr. and Maikel Garcia—had an OPS+ of 100 or higher. As expected, Kansas City sits fourth in the AL Central with a 31-29 record, trailing the Detroit Tigers by eight games, though they remain just one game behind in the wild-card race.
The Royals’ outfield production has been among the worst in the majors. Through 663 plate appearances, their outfielders have hit just .237/.283/.330 with seven home runs and 46 RBIs — all MLB lows in slugging, home runs, and RBIs.
Caglianone’s power
Caglianone’s signature trait is his elite power, showcased by several towering home runs this season. His exit velocities rival those of sluggers like Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani, and he’s projected to become a fixture in the heart of the Royals’ lineup alongside Witt Jr.
Even with his elite power, Jac Caglianone has maintained a strikeout rate of only 20% this season. However, the Royals were initially reluctant to promote him due to concerns about his plate discipline, particularly his tendency to swing at pitches outside the strike zone, which they feared big-league pitchers could take advantage of.
The Royals have a day off Monday, giving Caglianone time to join the team ahead of Tuesday’s game.
