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It’s no coincidence that the Kansas City Royals’ recent improvements correlate perfectly with second-year outfielder Jac Caglianone blossoming into the young star the fanbase had hoped he’d become. The sixth overall pick in the 2024 MLB draft, Caglianone is turning into a piece that the Royals front office can’t afford to lose.<\/p>\n
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The sample size from last year to this season is large enough now to see the improvement the 23-year-old has managed to produce. So far in 2026, he is hitting at a .275 AVG with an .348 OBP (on-base percentage) and an over .70 WAR (wins above replacement) with 23 more hits in six fewer at-bats than the year prior. Compare that to a putrid .157 AVG, .237 OBP and a -1.25 WAR, Caglianone is breaking out earlier than most stars have in the league.<\/p>\n
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Looking at his current contract would have any Royals fan stressed out, and the other 29 general managers in the league excited to get their hands on an ascending talent. Caglianone is playing on his second consecutive one-year deal for under $1 million annually. Meaning at season’s end, he becomes subject to another two years of pre-arbitration, which in simple terms means the Royals can continue to pay him a cheap one-year salary until the end of 2028.<\/p>\n
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While Caglianone’s 2026 numbers are impressive on their own, the tear he has been on recently has been hard to even fathom. Since May 15th, Caglianone has played in 22 games, and hit a .342 AVG, .553 SLG (slugging percentage), driven in 11 RBI’s, smacked four home runs, and has walked nine times to go along with three stolen bases. These are superstar-level numbers from a guy who may not be able to keep it up throughout the rest of a long, grueling season, but has shown enough flashes of brilliance to warrant a hefty contract.<\/p>\n
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Aside from Bobby Witt Jr. and Maikel Garcia, the Royals don’t have a lot of young hitting talent locked up for the future. Not securing Caglianone for years to come, when he would be a great power-hitting complement to Witt’s and Garcia’s propensity to get on base, would be franchise malpractice and cause me to rethink whether or not the longtime front office duo of Dayton Moore and J.J. Picollo has finally run its course.<\/p>\n
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While Caglianone’s hot streak in recent weeks is a welcome sight, this Royals season looks like another one that may end in disappointment. But perhaps signing the star outfielder long-term this upcoming offseason would be a great first step in building a championship-caliber team around one of the league’s best players in Witt Jr.<\/p>\n
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