Royals need to avoid making this long-term defensive mistake with Jac Caglianone

Royals fans are blessed to watch Bobby Witt Jr. play baseball every single day. The intensity he brings and the dedication to his craft are a joy to watch. But make no mistake, Jac Caglianone is doing things on a baseball field that even a player like Witt Jr. has never done. Entering Monday's action in Tampa, he'd homered in three straight games, and his four homers in the three-game series with the Cards were the most since Kendrys Morales in 2016. His hot streak at the plate hasn’t translated into a streak in the win column, but he’s worth the admission price when you go out to the ballpark.

The 6’4” 250lb “kid” has been scorching hot since the calendar turned to June. He’s hitting .357 and slugging .700 in 19 games this month.

On Sunday against the hated Cardinals, he hit two more homers, bringing his season total to 12 (which now leads the team), 7 of them coming in June alone. What Jac has done is restore the faith that the coaching staff and fan base had in him when they drafted him sixth overall in 2024.

He’s doing more than just helping out. He’s carried the offense as of late, at a time when the Royals had no one else to turn to. Salvador hasn’t been himself, Vinnie Pasquantino is out with a hamate bone fracture, and Bobby has been out of the lineup with a sprained MCL. The constant has been Caglianone.

He has been one of the ten best players in the sport this month, and that’s not hyperbole; that’s what the numbers say. He’s in the top 10 in the MLB in the following categories in June:

While his offense has been a revelation, much has been discussed about his defense in right field, so much so that fans are clamoring for Caglianone to stay at first base, even when Vinnie Pasquantino returns to the lineup.

While first base is Caglianone’s natural position, that he played in college, the Royals worked with him in right field to utilize his ungodly arm attached to his left shoulder. He looked like a natural in right in his rookie season, and he looks even better in 2026.

Pasquantino’s injury has opened the door for Cags to get more playing time at first, but it would be a mistake to transition him there full-time.

Jac Caglianone should remain Royals' answer in right field for foreseeable future

In my opinion, the corner outfield spot in baseball is the most important position after pitcher and shortstop. The best producers on a given team are likely coming from right field or left field. Their arms are crucial for saving runs, as they have to make base runners think twice about taking an extra-base or rounding third with dreams of scoring.

Traditionally, right fielders anchor the middle of the lineup and provide the power to drive in runs at an 80-100+ RBI pace. Caglianone has proven he can do all of the above.

His arm strength grades as the best in the Majors; 100th percentile in the league. His arm value is in the 92nd percentile.

These are good metrics to consider, but they don’t tell the whole story of Caglianone’s ability in right field. To do so, you have to look at his metrics from his rookie season in 2025 as well and determine if he’s progressing or regressing.

The answer is undoubtedly progressing. His OAA paints a picture of him as a below-average right fielder, but compared to his rookie season, his improvement in right is tangible.

His weakness remains his range, but his arm has become a true weapon. He's tied for 2nd in all of baseball among right fielders in outfield assists with 5.

Among the top15 players with the most innings in right field, only Seiya Suzuki, Aaron Judge, and Sal Frelick have less errors than Cags' lone error. That's good enough for a .992 fielding percentage which would rank him 5th among the players with the most innings in right field.

His directional movement breakdown is another area he's looked much better at in 2026.

On plays moving backward and in front of him, he had -3 and -2 OAA in 2025. In 2026, he's improved his range on backward-range plays to 0 OAA, making him league-average in that category.

He has a -3 OAA on balls hit in front of him, meaning he loses value on those plays, particularly when he's charging in. There's reason to believe that, with more experience and a better understanding of what he can and can't do, he won't charge those balls coming in on him as much and will just play them on the hop.

The bottom line is that Jac Caglianone is more than just a first baseman masquerading as an outfielder. He's found a true home in right field and if he can raise his OAA up to -2 or higher, it will more than justify playing him there everyday for the forseeable future.

The Royals have done the hard part. They've essentially created well-above-league-average offense at a position that has been a literal revolving door since Jeff Franceour roamed The K all the way back in 2011 (trust me, you don't want me to start listing the names).

It's much harder to find league-average offense in a corner outfield spot than it is at first base. I want to put a bow on this conversation by letting you know Jac Caglianone is still only 23 years old and won't be 24 until next Februrary.

There's still room to grow not only in his offense (I think he can hit 40 homers in his prime), but also in his defense where I believe he can provide average-to-above-average value in right field if he can continue to have elite arm value.

I don't mind having a discussion for moving him to first base once he starts to age, but that time is not now. You need to take advantage of his plus arm strength and his adequte foot speed while he's in his athletic prime.

For a kid who had not played the outfield since his days in high school, he has already made impressive improvements in just over a year. The only argument to be had concerning Jac Caglinone is what color pen to give him to sign his long-term contract with the Kansas City Royals.

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