Jac Caglianone’s Heater Is a Welcome Sight for the Royals

To put his aforementioned June heater in perspective, his 1.080 OPS and 193 wRC+ rank fourth in MLB. From a run production standpoint, his nine homers this month trail only Colorado’s Hunter Goodman (13), Washington’s Luis García Jr. (11), and Chicago’s Pete Crow-Armstrong (10).

Looking even further at his underlying metrics in 2026, June has just been an example of how Caglianone must be considered one of the league’s most feared hitters with out-of-this-world quality of contact and expected metrics.

Now, what this means for the Royals in particular is that perhaps they’ve found the Robin to Witt’s Batman in the lineup.

Maikel Garcia may’ve been that guy entering the year and is still a wizard defensively at third base, but he looks far from the All-Star and Silver Slugger he was in 2025. He’s sporting just a .693 OPS and 91 wRC+ this season. While his lingering hand injury may be a reason for this, he’s still reverted somewhat back to his unenthusiastic pre-2025 form.

Then there’s Vinnie Pasquantino, who, to his credit, did find a way to raise his game after a putrid start before hitting the IL. However, the fact remains that he still sits at an 81 wRC+, with familiar injury concerns resurfacing after he broke his hamate bone earlier this month.

Then there’s Salvador Perez, who hasn’t just declined in his twilight years — he’s plummeted violently. While still the captain and a respected clubhouse leader, he looks far from a starting-caliber catcher at this stage of his career.

In 327 plate appearances this season, Perez is slashing just .200/.242/.331 with a 52 wRC+. He still offers some power, with 10 home runs and 30 RBIs, but the passing of the torch to Carter Jensen may already be well underway.

With so much inconsistency in the middle of the order — and Jensen taking over at the top — the Royals need stability behind Bobby Witt Jr. in the two-hole. Caglianone’s recent hot streak may be a sign that he can be that guy.