Few power hitters in the game exemplify that word better than Jac Caglianone. The Royals slugger made his long-awaited MLB debut in the 2025 season and had an up-and-down campaign in his brief 62-game cameo. He’s slated to be a regular starter in the Royals outfield in 2026, and with more than 200 MLB plate appearances under his belt, he’s expected to deliver more consistent numbers in what figures to be his first full year in the bigs.
The 23-year-old had some intriguing power numbers, but nothing that would jump off the page. He ended his 62-game run with 7 homers, 18 RBIs, and 19 runs scored across 232 plate appearances, slashing .157/.237/.295 with a .532 OPS. Based on almost any metric, those were below-average numbers, although some of that can be attributed to bad luck since he posted a .172 BABIP. Can he turn things around in 2026?
What to Expect from Jac Caglianone in 2026 Fantasy Baseball
To deliver a bounce-back performance, Caglianone will have to adjust to major league pitching better than he did in 2025. He rocketed through the minors, though, so he should be able to adjust at some point. He posted a .947 OPS in 38 games in Double-A and a 1.131 OPS in 28 games at Triple-A, mashing 20 homers and posting a 57:31 K:BB across 66 games in both levels.
It’s clear that his power is a strength, but that won’t matter much if he’s not able to hit for average. Even hitting at the Mendoza Line won’t be enough to make him a valuable fantasy asset because his lack of average and poor contributions in other categories would subtract any value delivered by his power numbers.
However, his ability to adjust to pitching is key here. If he displays the same ability he showed in the minors, Caglianone would be in line to surpass the numbers he posted in 2025.
Projecting what he would bring to the table in fantasy, he should hit far better than in 2025, but it’s hard to see him as someone who’d hit above the .250 mark. His on-base percentage could hover around the .320 or .330 range, as he has a decent eye at the plate and posted a 7.8 BB% in the majors.
If you’re willing to take a late-round flier on Caglianone based on his power numbers, you’re more than welcome to do so. However, as a player who hasn’t shown much other than power ability so far in the majors, it’s hard to justify anything more than a late-round pick on him.
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