It took fewer than 80 minor-league games, but Kansas City Royals phenom Jac Caglianone is already getting called up to the majors – and nobody is happier than Patrick Mahomes.
The Royals minority owner and Chiefs quarterback reacted to the news on X, where ESPN’s Jeff Passan revealed the 22-year-old Caglianone (pronounced: CAG-lee-ohn) is headed from Triple-A Omaha to Kansas City.
Rather than using his own words to convey his excitement, Mahomes instead relied on a meme of Steve Carell’s Michael Scott character from the office.
‘Oh, my God!’ Scott says in the clip. ‘Okay, it’s happening.’
There was some confusion among fans about Mahomes’ reaction, given that he grew up in the Dallas area and has a father who once pitched for the Texas Rangers in addition to a number of other teams in the majors and Japan.
‘You’re a Rangers fan!’ one person wrote on X.
Patrick Mahomes and his wife Brittany have been Royals minority owners since 2021
A pitcher and first baseman at Florida, the 6-5, 250-pound Caglianone abandoned the mound in favor of the batter’s box, where he’s flourished since being picked sixth overall in 2024
Others wondered why Mahomes, who obtained a minority stake of the Royals in 2021, learned of the news after Passan.
‘Shouldn’t you be like the 1st person to know… your (sic) a owner?’ another asked.
It’s never been clear how much Mahomes spent to join the Royals ownership group or if he was brought in under a different type of agreement. He and wife Brittany are also part owners of Kansas City’s MLS and NWSL teams, as well as Formula One’s Alpine racing.
Mahomes is hardly alone in his anticipation of Caglianone’s arrival, who could pay dividends for a surprisingly competitive Royals club in the American League Central. Kansas City currently sits at 21-29, which is eight games back of first-place Detroit, but right in the thick of the wildcard chase.
Manager Matt Quatraro’s pitchers rank fourth in the majors in earned-run average (3.13), but the offense is tied for 28th in runs scored.
Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs greets Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals prior to the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Arrowhead Stadium on October 10, 2022
Omaha Storm Chasers’ Jac Caglianone (14) runs onto the field before a game against St. Paul
Enter Caglianone, a punishing left-handed hitter who could complement a lineup highlighted by righties Bobby Witt Jr., Jonathan India, Salvador Perez and Maikel Garcia.
A pitcher and first baseman at Florida, the 6-foot-5, 250-pound Caglianone has abandoned the mound in favor of the batter’s box, where he’s flourished since being picked sixth overall in last year’s MLB Draft.
Over just 79 minor-league games across High-A, Double-A and Triple-A, Caglianone hit .292 with an impressive .358 on-base percentage and a robust .517 slugging percentage thanks to 17 home runs and 18 doubles.
He also comes from a baseball hotbed in Tampa, where he attended the same high school as Hall-of-Famer Wade Boggs and current New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso.
