Jac Caglianone is one of the hottest prospects in baseball today. Fresh off his junior season for the Florida Gators, he is set to become a first round pick in the upcoming MLB Draft, possibly even the top overall pick.
His incredible performances in NCAA baseball drew the attention of Cincinnati Reds’ star second baseman Jonathan India, who is one of the Gators’ most notable alumni in recent years.
India developed his game under Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan just like Caglianone, playing for the Gators from 2016 to 2018 before the Reds drafted him as the fifth overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft.
Caglianone’s two-way exploits have seen him being compared to Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, with India giving his take on the youngster’s talent. Fresh off being named the NL Player of the Week, the Reds star admitted he has the potential to achieve great things like Ohtani and admitted the future is bright for Caglianone.
“Hey, I’ve watched quite a bit of him with the College World Series and in the Regionals. You got a two-way guy that can do what he does just like Ohtani.”We all say it’s a metal bataand it’s college, but he’s a big kid, man. I think it’s going to translate to the minors and even the majors. So, I’m excited to see what he has in store for his career.”
While Caglianone honed his game at the college level, Ohtani started his professional baseball career straight out of high school, representing the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in Nippon Professional Baseball, the highest level of baseball in Japan. He excelled on the mound, recording 624 strikeouts with an ERA of 2.52 from 2013-2017.
He was just as lethal at the plate, recording 45 home runs and 166 RBI. From 2018 to 2023, he represented the Los Angeles Angels before signing a mammoth $700 million deal with crosstown rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Can Jac Caglianone team up with Jonathan India in the future?
Caglianone is the No. 3 prospect for this year’s MLB Draft. While he thrived as a two-way player, he has been more effective as a hitter. This season, he set a new single-season program record for home runs (35) while driving in 72 runs at an average of .419, the third-highest in the country.
Jac Caglianone has been sensational for the Florida Gators during his college baseball career (IMAGN)
Any team looking to pick Caglianone in the draft will be keen to utilize his hitting power, which is up there with Travis Bazzana and Charlie Condon. With the Reds having the second overall pick in the draft, they could likely draft Caglianone, which could see him team up with India in the future.
