How different would the Kansas City Royals’ 2025 season have looked without June? Strip away that 8-18 anchor, and suddenly the year feels lighter, more hopeful, less weighed down by the month when runs disappeared and optimism sagged.
And yet, June was supposed to be the moment. Expectations were sky-high, the debut of top prospect Jac Caglianone circled on calendars like a holiday.
Caglianone had made the outfield look easy in Double-A and Triple-A, a former first baseman and pitcher gliding into a new role.
But the majors are not forgiving. He hit a wall, and Royals fans felt the thud. Everyone understood a rookie grace period was necessary. The question now, as 2026 dawns, is how long that grace period lasts?
Jac Caglianone has the talent, but Royals fans want better results in 2026
Caglianone is a fascinating case. He has the kind of bat that makes scouts scribble exclamation points in their notes, the kind of raw power that makes fans dream. He also has the pedigree a first-round pick, a Florida star, a player who looks the part.
But the numbers in 2025 were harsh: a 46 wRC+, a .157/.237/.295 slash line over 232 plate appearances. Instead of solving the Royals’ outfield puzzle, he became another piece of the problem.
That’s the past. The Royals are looking forward. They’re already searching for a platoon partner, someone to share right field with Caglianone as he enters his age-23 season.
General manager J.J. Picollo put it plainly: “We don’t want to spend a lot of money on the short side of a platoon, but the reality is we need it. If we can find the right person, the right bat to complement Cags, that would be great.”
That’s not a lack of faith. It’s a leash and a respectable one. The Royals have been burned before by putting too much weight on young shoulders. MJ Melendez was asked to be “the guy” in the outfield, and the results were uneven.
This time, Kansas City wants to protect Caglianone’s development. He’ll get the lion’s share of right field work in 2026, but if he struggles, there’s a safety net. If he thrives, the leash loosens. Simple as that.
Of course, the leash is not just about the season. It’s about the start. The 2026 World Baseball Classic looms, and Royals fans know how that tournament can ripple into April. Bobby Witt Jr. lived it in 2023, losing momentum after riding the WBC bench. His March and April were sluggish with a 74 wRC+ before he found his rhythm again.
Caglianone will suit up for Team Italy, alongside Vinnie Pasquantino. It’s fun to imagine the nicknames, the Italian-themed duo. But it also means Caglianone could miss valuable time with Kansas City’s new hitting coaches, Connor Dawson and Marcus Thames, in Arizona. Spring training reps are hard to replicate, and if he starts slow, the WBC absence will be a culprit.
So when should fans worry?
The All-Star break feels like the fair checkpoint. Too soon to give up, but late enough to demand progress. If Caglianone is healthy and still stuck in 2025’s numbers, then the leash tightens. A longer leash stretches to September. A shorter one echoes the quick reactions to Pasquantino’s struggles last year.
The hope, of course, is that none of this matters. That Caglianone’s raw tools blossom into production, that the power translates, that the patience pays off. Royals fans have seen the promise in the minors. They’ve seen the flashes. What they want now is the payoff.
Give him room. Give him time. And maybe, just maybe, 2026 will be the year Jac Caglianone turns potential into reality.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source kingsofkauffman.com ’
