UF slugger Jac Caglianone breaks Gators’ home run record

UF slugger Jac Caglianone took a unique path to the Gators’ home run record, but nothing was going to stop him during a College World Series elimination game Wednesday with Kentucky.

Coach Kevin O’Sullivan had the 6-foot-5, 250-pound Caglianone bat leadoff for the first time in his career to pressure the Wildcats and force them to pitch to him. He responded with a single, followed by a stolen base — only the fourth of his career — to set the stage for the Gators’ seven-run opening inning.

“I was kind of the lead-off guy that everybody wanted me to be,” he said. “I kind of embraced that role today.”

Later, Caglianone did what he did best, blasting a solo home run to right field in the sixth inning put the finishing touches on a 15-4 rout and give him a school-record 75 career homers in his penultimate game as a Gator.

Longtime record holder Matt LaPorta was in the stands at Charles Schwab Field to watch Caglianone surpass the record set from 2004-07.

Caglianone needed a little more than two seasons to establish a new standard. His latest home run was his 35th in 2024, a year after he set the school record with 33. He had 7 home runs as a freshman in 2022 as he returned from Tommy Johns surgery to play just 27 games.

Caglianone went on a tear to help the Gators to a surprising run at the College World Series, ending with a 6-0 loss late Wednesday night to Texas A&M.

Opponents intentionally walked him seven times in six games and 10 times overall. Caglianone batted .588 (10 of 17) with 4 home runs, 9 RBI and 8 runs scored.

The 21-year-old from Tampa grew up idolizing fellow Plant High alum Preston Tucker, a Gators star from 2009-12. Tucker left UF as the all-time leader with 341 hits and 258 RBI.

Those marks will be out of range for Caglianone, who is expected to be a top-five MLB Draft selection. But the home run record is sure to be his for some time.

Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com