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Jac Caglianone MLB debut leads to rookie card surge
Look out, world. Jac Caglianone has arrived in the big leagues. Talk about fast-track success:
Kansas City drafted the former two-way college star in 2024 after he hit .419 with 35 home runs and pitched to a 5-2 record.
At the close of Caglianone’s 2024 Florida Gators season, the Royals got him into 50 minor league games between High-A ball and Fall League competition.
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To start the 2025 season, KC assigned the 6-foot-5, 250-pound slugger to Double-A. All he did there was hit .322 with nine homers and 43 RBI in 38 games.
After a promotion to Triple-A in May, the first baseman/outfielder stayed scorching hot, hitting .319 with six home runs and 13 RBI in 12 games.
And on June 1, Omaha Storm Chasers manager Mike Jirschele informed Caglianone he was getting the call to the majors. In turn, per a viral video of the moment, Caglianone said, “I’ve gotta call my dad!” So on June 3, he found himself in the Royals’ starting lineup.
Longtime baseball scribe Jeff Passan of ESPN compares Caglianone’s power to that of Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani. His exit velocity puts him in the stratosphere of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Ronald Acuna Jr. and Giancarlo Stanton. In a lineup that already features Bobby Witt, Salvador Perez and Vinnie Pasquantino, he’ll have plenty of protection.
And yes, there’s a growing inventory of Caglianone cards changing hands in the hobby. They’re getting plenty of attention, too—with more to come, if “Cags” catches fire in Kansas City. There may still be time to buy at affordable prices, but don’t wait too long.
Here’s a look at figures already being paid on eBay:
• $16,100 on 58 bids for a 2024 Bowman Chrome #1/1 “Spotlight Superfractor” (with no autograph!).
• $9,006 on 110 bids for a signed 2024 Bowman Draft Snack Pack Bubble Gum card marked #1/5 and graded BGS 9.5 with a 10 auto.
• $7,777 on an amazing 165 bids for a 2024 Bowman Chrome signed rookie marked #3/5 (PSA 9).
• $7,677 on 45 bids for an ungraded 2024 Bowman Chrome signed Black Refractor marked #1/10.
• $7,000 on 47 bids for a Bowman Chrome Black Xfractor marked #3/10 and graded PSA 10.
We also counted eight Buy It Now sales listed between $10,000 and $15,000, though they don’t necessarily reflect price reductions.
Depending on how quickly Caglianone adapts to MLB pitching, all of those prices may seem like steals by season’s end.
