Jac Caglianone Will Make Starts Against Lefties in 2026
Kansas City Royals first baseman/outfielder Jac Caglianone, who is on the bench on Opening Day on Friday against the Atlanta Braves and left-hander Chris Sale, will make starts against left-handed pitchers this year, according to Anne Rogers of MLB.com. Sale is one of the most dominant lefty arms in baseball, though, so the Royals will protect him on Friday and put veteran Starling Marte in right field. Caglianone struggled in his first taste of major-league pitching in 2025, hitting only .157/.237/.295 with seven home runs, 18 RBI, 18 walks, and 52 strikeouts in 232 plate appearances over 62 games played. He looked better in spring training, though, and the Royals are going to put more on his plate in 2026 in his first full year in the majors. The good news is that the 23-year-old former two-way star didn't have a major problem with strikeouts in his first exposure to the big leagues. However, he'll need to make more consistent contact, and it's not out of the question that he'll return to the minors if he struggles again early on. Long-term, Cags has high-end power potential, and he could have dual eligibility at first base and in the outfield.
Source: MLB.com - Anne Rogers
Source: MLB.com - Anne Rogers
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