We’re constantly in awe watching Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge redefine what’s possible at the plate. Two generational superstars whose offensive dominance continues to reshape the modern game. Now, imagine a 22-year-old rookie being mentioned in the same breath. Sounds like a stretch? Not to one MLB insider, who believes the Kansas City Royals may just have baseball’s next big thing.Well, if he’s right, we could be witnessing the rise of a new name ready to join the elite ranks of Ohtani and Judge. For those of you who have not guessed it till now, we are talking about the Royals’ top prospect, Jac Caglianone, who just got a call-up to the Majors.“He is a guy who has the kind of power that Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani have, and there are very few guys in baseball who can say that.” Jeff Passan, ESPN’s MLB insider, had these big things to say about Jac Caglianone on The Pat McAfee Show.Passan didn’t hold back at all, as he compared the 22-year-old to megastars Ohtani and Judge. That might sound ridiculous, but hey, when you look at the numbers, it’s not so crazy."Everybody should know about Jac Caglianone..He is a guy that has the kind of power that Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani have" ~ @JeffPassan #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/6pZYMIbEOO— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) June 2, 2025Caglianone’s power is the real deal, and he’s shown he can make solid contact no matter where the pitch is thrown. Let’s check how he has fared in the minor leagues and compare those numbers to the numbers Judge churned out in the minors.Aaron Judge scored 207 runs in the minors at a .276/.371/.842. In contrast, Caglianone is currently sitting with 54 runs but he is hitting at .292/.358/.875. This shows the Royals’ rookie is going at par with Judge in terms of hitting!Now Ohtani. Well, Ohtani used to play in NPB before he was signed by the Los Angeles Angels. As per Statcast, his career slugging percentage stands at .580, while for Caglianone, his slugging percentage in the minors stands at .517.Moreover, in 2024, Ohtani topped out with a 119.2 mph exit velocity, the third-highest in the majors. Meanwhile, Caglianone was putting on a show of his own as the top power bat in the 2024 Draft class. The Royals’ rookie reached an eye-popping 121.7 mph exit velocity last year.So, Caglianone’s hitting figures seem somewhat comparable to those of Aaron Judge and Ohtani. Yes, he has not proven himself at the highest level yet and it’s too early to make any conclusions about him, but one can understand why Passan is excited about him.With Caglianone’s call-up to the major league, the Royals’ part owner and NFL star Patrick Mahomes is the happiest man at the moment. He was long-pushing for the guy who torched the minor pitching, slashing 15 HRs and 56 RBIs over 50 games this year.Now, it’s time to witness how the Royals bring the best out of Caglianone in the majors.The Royals are gasping for some added powerWell, the Royals fans are finally getting a sneak peek at what could be a really exciting future. They have already got Bobby Witt Jr. Now, with another top prospect on the way, they are buzzing.Even though Caglianone started at first base recently, he’s been playing mostly outfield in Triple-A. That’s where he’s expected to slot in when he joins the Royals on Tuesday in St. Louis.Fans can expect Caglianone to spend plenty of time in the outfield, and honestly, the Royals could use the help out there. For starters, none of their active outfielders has hit even at a league-average level.Offense has been tough to come by, only Witt and Maikel Garcia have an OPS of 100 or better among players with at least 100 plate appearances! Now you know why the Royals’ lineup needs power!The Royals’ current 31-29 record has them sitting fourth in the AL Central, eight games behind the Tigers. Here, the blame goes to their outfield. Why? Because the outfielders have combined to hit just .237 with a .283 OBP and .330 slugging percentage. No wonder the Royals are among the low-ranked teams in MLB in slugging, home runs, and runs driven in.The timing of Caglianone’s arrival could not be any better. Do you think the rookie will be able to handle the pressure of the majors?The post Exciting Royals Prospect, Endorsed by Mahomes, Already Earning Ohtani-Judge Comparisons Even Before MLB Debut appeared first on EssentiallySports.