Florida's Jac Caglianone's high school coach discloses what sets him apart from other MLB prospects
Jac Caglianone is one of the most talked about prospects in this year's MLB draft, and for good reason. The Florida Gators' two-way sensation set program records in his junior year, playing a key role in helping them make a deep postseason run despite having the odds stacked against them.
Caglianone chose to join the Gators after excelling at Plant High School. The school has since formed a reputation for shaping talents who have been top picks in the draft, prime examples of whom are Pete Alonso and Kyle Tucker.
Ahead of the draft, Caglianone's high school coach Dennis Braun explained how he is not just different from the current pool of MLB prospects, but big names in the past as well. He spoke highly of his work ethic, which Braun believes will be key to his success (via Tampa Bay Times):
"It’s all the things that people aren’t going to see that’s the real talent. Like, are you going to wake up at 7 o’clock in the morning every day and go to the weight room, which Jac did," Braun said.
"And then are you going to come out here and are you going to really work to get better every day? And in a conversation that sounds easy, but it’s not easy to do."
Braun, who has been the head coach of Plant High for nearly two decades, believes Caglianone's outright power also stands out from the rest:
"His brute strength. I mean, they’re not going to come into Plant any bigger and stronger than that kid. That’s a fact. Maybe [Kyle] Tucker can give him a run for his money, and Pete, but there aren’t many people that are going to hit it farther than Jac." he said.
"And that was one thing we talked about. Jac’s the kind of kid that somebody else hits a home run, Jac wants to spend the rest of the night proving he can hit it farther. And I always tell him, ‘Jac, they just have to go over, they don’t have to go 600 feet all the time, even though you’ve got that ability.’"
Jac Caglianone is the No. 3 MLB draft prospect this year
Caglianone's exploits as a two-way player make him an exciting prospect. While the team that drafts him is likely to use him as a hitter, his ability on the mound should help them improve their bullpen as well.
This season, he broke the Gators program record for home runs in a single season, which he also did last season. While he could become the No. 1 overall pick, he is expected to be picked by the Colorado Rockies, who have the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 MLB draft.