Is Jac Caglianone a two-way player? Taking a look at 2024 MLB draft prospect's playing style
Jac Caglianone has easily been one of the standouts of the Florida Gators this season. The junior has enthralled the nation with his unique playing style and spectacular efforts for the 2023 NCAA Division I runners-up, which helped them make the postseason this year.
His numbers in batting and pitching have underlined his abilities as a two-way player. However, the Gators brought him into their fold as a freshman pitcher. Before his freshman season, Caglianone underwent Tommy John surgery. This forced him to choose between missing the season and sacrificing a redshirt freshman season to contribute as a designated hitter.
His efforts during practice that season made him choose the latter. In his sophomore season, Caglianone went full throttle, breaking single-season program records with 33 home runs and 90 RBIs, with head coach Kevin O'Sullivan terming him "a Greek God".
Alongside hitting, Caglianone also emerged as a lethal pitcher, recording 87 strikeouts in 74 2/3 innings in his sophomore season. His playing style evolved over time, drawing similarities with Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, who the junior looks up to (via MLB.com):
"Shohei’s definitely the guy that I've looked to ever since he's busted on the scene, just kind of his work ethic and how he goes about things, it's been really helpful for me navigating through the college season," Caglianone said.
While Ohtani is ambidextrous, Caglianone is left-handed in hitting and pitching. As for pitching, the junior also had help from 2008 American League Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee, who gave him great advice and armed him with a new fastball while working with him during the offseason:
"The biggest thing that I took away from Cliff is probably a new grip on my fastball as well as a lot of mental edges that I'm going to be selfish and keep to myself."
His pitching strengths include a fastball that often touches 100mph, a 90mph cutter and nasty sliders and changeups. His hitting strengths this season include a 1.369 OPS and 41 walks, which is twice more than his sophomore season.
Jac Caglianone is the No. 3 MLB draft prospect this year
This season has been Caglianone's strongest yet. He tied the NCAA record for the longest home run streak, scoring at least one in nine games straight. As a hitter, he scored 29 home runs and drove in 58 runs with a stellar .415 batting average. As a pitcher, he recorded 68 strikeouts with an ERA of 4.35 and a 10-3 record.
His consistency in college baseball earned him the No. 3 spot in this year's top MLB prospects, behind only Georgia Bulldogs' Charlie Condon and Oregon State Beavers' Travis Bazzana. Caglianone is likely to be a first-round pick in this year's MLB draft, with the Colorado Rockies favorites to select him with the No. 3 overall pick.
He will be hoping to help the Gators to a deep postseason run this year. However, they have their work cut out for them in the Stillwater Regional, where they face the Oklahoma State Cowboys, Nebraska Cornhuskers and Niagara Purple Eagles.