Watch: Jac Caglianone Crushes Monster Homer as Florida’s Two-Way Phenom Sets College Baseball Abuzz

Florida’s do-everything slugger and southpaw Jac Caglianone is rewriting the college baseball record book and, in the process, dominating the conversation around the College World Series and the upcoming MLB Draft. Record-Shattering Power Surge When the 6-foot-5 sophomore launched his 33rd homer of the season during Florida’s Super Regional rout, he moved past Matt LaPorta to seize the Gators’ all-time home-run crown with 75 long balls—accomplished in barely two-and-a-half seasons. His .411/.532/.860 slash line is the nation’s gold standard, and scouts have marveled at exit velocities that routinely eclipse 115 mph. The Two-Way Threat Caglianone’s impact isn’t limited to the batter’s box. On the mound, the left-hander touches 99 mph and owns a 3.12 ERA with 87 strikeouts, making him college baseball’s most feared two-way player since Shohei Ohtani walked out of Hanamaki Higashi High School. Those dual talents earned him the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award and pushed him to the top tier of every reputable draft board. Clutch on the Biggest Stage Caglianone’s legend grew in Omaha, where his opposite-field missile sealed Florida’s elimination-game win over NC State and kept the Gators alive in the Men’s College World Series bracket. The blast tied the NCAA record for homers in consecutive games at six, underscoring his knack for delivering under pressure. Draft-Day Buzz With the MLB Draft just weeks away, front-office executives are debating whether the Kansas City Royals made the steal of the decade when they took Caglianone sixth overall in last year’s unique “Deferred Pick” experiment. Because he opted to return to Gainesville, he will re-enter the 2025 draft class, and several clubs inside the top three slots are now weighing whether to deploy him as a full-time hitter, full-time pitcher, or a legitimate two-way cornerstone. What Makes His Swing Unique? Analysts point to a violent yet balanced lower half, an unusually flat bat path for someone of his height, and hand speed comparable to MLB’s elite power producers. Pair that with an ability to hammer both four-seamers and breakers, and you get a hitter with the second-highest hard-hit rate in Division I since tracking began. Historic Context • Only two SEC players have ever logged back-to-back 30-homer seasons—Caglianone is the first to do it while also making at least 10 starts on the mound. • His 75 career bombs surpass the total hit by eight entire Division I teams this season. • He needs just four more strikeouts to join an exclusive 30-HR/100-K club that, at the collegiate level, currently has zero members. Can Anyone Stop Him? Opposing staffs have started pitching around the lefty slugger—he’s drawn 17 intentional walks this postseason alone—but Florida’s deep lineup forces pitchers back into the zone. “You’re hoping he chases, but he doesn’t,” one SEC assistant coach admitted after Caglianone worked a nine-pitch walk that sparked a comeback in the regional final. What’s Next Florida faces a semifinal showdown Friday night; a victory would push the Gators to the championship series, where Caglianone could further inflate his draft stock with a national audience watching. Win or lose, the summer showcases and pre-draft medical reviews await, and plenty of scouts believe he could become the first true two-way everyday player drafted inside the top two picks. Key Takeaways for Fans and Scouts • Elite power plus premium fastball velocity equals historic two-way ceiling. • Consistency (.411 average) and durability (only one missed start in two seasons) ease risk concerns. • Plate discipline leap—walk rate up to 18 %—suggests untapped upside once he sees major-league pitching daily. With every thunderous swing and high-octane fastball, Jac Caglianone turns heads, adds viewers, and drives pageviews—cementing his place as the most electrifying story in amateur baseball this year.