What a surreal moment for a rookie making his Major League Baseball debut! It not only represents the immense hard work, sacrifices, and unwavering commitment to the game, but it also embodies the aspirations these young players hold to make it big. For years, we have been bragging about superstars like Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge. Now, imagine a 22-year-old rookie being compared to them and even touted as the next big thing in baseball. At this moment, the hype is real.

A couple of days ago, MLB insider Jeff Passan mentioned Jac Caglianone, who recently received a call-up to the majors. “Everybody should know about Jac Caglianone. He is a guy that has the kind of power that Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani have,” Passan said, heaping praise on him on the Pat McAfee Show.

Passan’s assessment seems spot-on. Caglianone’s strength lies in his power-hitting ability. While Judge slashed .276/.371/.842 in the minor leagues, Caglianone has slashed .292/.358/.875. And if we compare him to Ohtani, obviously, Caglianone still has a long way to go, but yes, his bat’s exit velocity reached 121.7 mph in the last year—higher than Ohtani’s 119.2 mph.

Right now, Caglianone is an instant fan favorite. Who wouldn’t want to catch a glimpse of this rookie sensation? Fans eagerly turned out to witness Caglianone’s debut as a designated hitter in his first at-bats.

After being drafted by the Royals, Caglianone quickly impressed with his bat. Whether it was his noticeable .322 average or his fifteen home runs, he seemed destined for the majors. He also managed nine extra bases while playing for Double-A and then Triple-A.

And what we have seen in his performance is the sheer power he brings to the plate. His bat speed lets him drive the ball far away, and with his experience, the Royals slotted him sixth in the lineup as a DH.

Thankfully, Caglianone has certainly earned his spot on the team, no? Well, the excitement at the Busch Stadium proved how much the fans were eager to watch the rookie sensation in action. Just as the cheers echoed across the stadium and cameras started rolling onto him, the young talent finally made his way to the plate. “That was awesome. That’s something I’ll definitely remember forever. I can’t really thank the people for coming out like that and showing their support and stuff like that. I’m just grateful for it,” he said postgame.

Debuting in the majors is a surreal moment for any young player, especially when greeted with such a warm welcome from the fans. What more could anyone ask for? The Royals handed the Cardinals a 10-3 defeat; however, Caliganone couldn’t score a run, falling short of the expectations of fans.

Royals rookie sensation’s debut was a major disappointment

While the fans went crazy just to watch the young talent hitting it big against the St. Louis Cardinals, Jac Cliganone went quiet during the game. Whether it was the pressure of expectations or the nerves of playing in the majors for the first time, he failed to deliver. While batting against Cardinals pitcher Andrew Pallante, he hit a ball that flew towards the center field. And guess what, Victor Scott II was right there! He got a hand on it, just a few inches away from the outfield.

Caglianone tried once again in the fifth and seventh innings, but both times ended in disappointment. He got out after Nolan Arenado, the Cardinals’ third baseman, managed to throw the ball quickly enough and eventually knocked him out at third base. Despite the poor start, manager Matt Quatraro believes there is a long way to go for him.

Reflecting on the rookie’s performance, Quatraro said, “I think it was a bad idea to hit it to those two guys his first two at-bats. There’s a really, really good catch in the first at-bat, and then anything you hit to Arenado is not really a great idea. But he squared it up. He was ready to go. He looked poised. There will be plenty of hits for him.”

Although the Royals won the game, Caliganone’s performance didn’t contribute much. However, with the team currently ranked third in the AL Central and struggling with a .237 average and .330 slugging percentage, Caliganone’s power could strengthen their roster and improve their run production in upcoming games. Now is the right time to bring in this young talent. With his impressive hitting ability, it’s only a matter of time before we see him become the next big thing in baseball.