Kansas City Royals outfielder Jac Caglianone greets his father, Jeff, ahead of making his major-league debut on June 3, 2025, at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.
Baltimore
If Royals outfielder Jac Caglianone was looking for advice on how to approach Monday night’s All-Star Game Home Run Derby, he was in the right place this past weekend.
The Orioles’ Pete Alonso is a two-time Home Run Derby champ, and coincidentally went to the same high school as Caglianone: Henry B. Plant High School in Tampa, Florida.
“I talked to him today actually, just about what to expect,” Caglianone said Saturday from the visitors’ clubhouse at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. “I mean, not gonna put it all out there, but he gave some good advice.”
Caglianone has the fourth-best odds to win the competition, per Draft Kings. The Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber, who will hit at his home stadium, Citizens Bank Park, is the favorite at +330, followed by the Rays’ Junior Caminero (+425), the White Sox’s Munetaka Murakami (+500) and Caglianone (+650).
The Home Run Derby begins at 7 p.m. and will stream on Netflix.
No matter the outcome Monday night, Caglianone will be a winner because of who will be throwing to him: Jeff Caglianone, his dad.
Father and son practiced on the Camden Yards field on Sunday, a day later than planned. They hoped to do it Saturday but were rained out. So they worked in the cages and began forming a plan.
“It’s funny. We talked about that yesterday,” Jeff Caglianone said Sunday. “He was looking (for pitches) a little bit up and in, and then I was throwing him some pitches down, and he was hammering them. As long as he gets a barrel to it, we’ll be OK.”
The Caglianones have Home Run Derby history, as dad pitched to his son at the 2024 Arizona Fall league event. Caglianone didn’t win but Jeff Caglianone believes the new format this year could help his son.
Rather than hitting as many home runs as possible in a certain amount of time, each participant will get 20 swings in the first round. The top 4 advance to the second round and will have 15 swings. The championship round also will have 15 swings. Distance of home runs will serve as a tiebreaker.
“It’s not going to be as pressure-packed,” Jeff Caglianone said. “Like throw as many as you can, and plus now, if it’s not where he wants it, he gets to take it, which is better instead of just swinging and tiring yourself out.”
That Fall League event was just part of the baseball connection between father and son. Jeff Caglianone coached Jac through the years, starting with games of catch in the backyard and continuing through high school.
But Monday night will be the pinnacle.
This is some real “Field of Dreams” stuff, and yes, the Caglianones had a game of catch on the field Sunday before they got in a Home Run Derby practice. Win or lose, it’ll be a night to remember for both Jeff and Jac.
“It’s just a dream come true,” Jeff Caglianone said. “Really, Jac and I have been doing this since he was 3 years old, and you know, hoping for this day one day. The fact that it’s coming is amazing.”
The Kansas City Star
From covering the World Series to the World Cup, Pete Grathoff has done a little bit of everything since joining The Kansas City Star in 1997.
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.kansascity.com ’
