Jac Caglianone posts his first multihit game with the Kansas City Royals

CHICAGO (AP) — So much for that slow start for Jac Caglianone.

The sweet-swinging slugger went 4 for 4 on Sunday, helping the Kansas City Royals to a 7-5 victory over the Chicago White Sox. The perfect afternoon at the plate arrived after he went 2 for 21 in his first five games in the major leagues.

“A huge thanks to all the guys out here in the locker room. They were very supportive through it all,” Caglianone said. “Hitting balls hard, not really much to show for it. Thankfully they found some grass today.”

Caglianone lined a single to center in the first inning. He doubled in the fourth, recording a 113.6 mph exit velocity on his drive into the gap in right-center. He singled again in the sixth and in the eighth.

“Jac’s had 20 at-bats, and he’s squared a bunch of balls up in those 20,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “Today he got rewarded for it.”

Caglianone, 22, was selected by Kansas City with the No. 6 pick in the 2024 amateur draft out of the University of Florida. The outfielder/first baseman batted .322 with 15 homers and 56 RBIs over two minor league stops before he was promoted by the Royals last week.

Caglianone made his major league debut on Tuesday at St. Louis and went 0 for 5 in a 10-7 victory over the Cardinals. He hit a drive to right-center in his first at-bat, but center fielder Victor Scott II made a running catch just steps away from the outfield wall.

He got his first two hits when he doubled in a run in the opener of a doubleheader against St. Louis on Thursday and singled against the White Sox on Saturday.

“I can’t wait to see what that guy’s going to do in the big leagues,” catcher Salvador Perez said. “He’s one of the best. That’s a big dude, too, so I think he’s going to do well.”

Caglianone, listed at 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds, is being helped along by Perez and the rest of the Royals. Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. has been trying to give him a new rule every day.

On Saturday, it was “Have two of everything,” Caglianone said.

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“When you go and travel, so you can just kind of have a bag ready,” he continued. “I never thought of that. It’s more off-the-field stuff than it is on the field.”

Caglianone could make his home debut as soon as Tuesday night, when the Royals host the New York Yankees in the opener of a three-game series.

“I’m super fired up. I think I’m more excited for that than I was for the actual debut itself,” he said. “I have a lot of family and friends coming to that, so I’m excited to see them, and I’m excited to see all the fans at (Kauffman Stadium).”

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb