Who is Jac Caglianone? Florida's 'Jactani' bringing two-way magic to College World Series

There have been several storylines during the NCAA Men's College World Series, however, the showcase of Jac Caglianone may be the most intriguing. The two-way superstar of the Florida Gators has turned heads throughout the tournament thanks to his comparisons to Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani.

Baseball is constantly evolving, with Shohei Ohtani defying the preconceived notion of what a human is capable of on the diamond. Now, it appears that Jac Caglianone may be following in the footsteps of the former American League MVP.

"BREAKING: Florida two-way star Jac Caglianone is one of three finalists for the Golden Spikes Award, which recognizes the top amateur baseball player in the country." - @JacobRudner

Caglianone has enjoyed a sensational season for the Florida Gators, and now finds himself garnering more national attention during the NCAA Men's College World Series. The 6-foot-5 two-way star is currently pegged to be the potential number-one pick in the 2024 MLB Draft.

"He regularly hits 450-foot homers from the left side. He throws 99 mph on the mound. And he isn’t Shohei Ohtani. Meet Jac Caglianone, aka Jactani, the potential No. 1 pick in 2024 who’s playing in his first College World Series game today. Free at ESPN:" - @JeffPassan

The comparisons to Los Angeles Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani will only continue to grow if the Florida Gators continue to progress in the NCAA Men's College World Series.

Jac Caglianone was dominant this season for the Florida Gators

Born in Tampa, Florida, the two-way Caglianone has put not only college baseball on notice but the MLB as well. The 245 lbs slugger led the country with 31 home runs, while also producing a dazzling .335 batting average and 84 RBIs.

While those numbers alone warrant first-round attention in the draft, the fact that he regularly hits 99 mph with his fastball, makes him one of the most intriguing young players in college baseball. As a pitcher this season with the Florida Gators, Caglianone had a 7-3 record with a 3.78 ERA and 81 strikeouts over 69.0 innings pitched.

"Five #Gators were named Perfect Game All-Americans and Jac Caglianone was named the publication's Two-Way Player of the Year. #JusticeForJac" - @delatorre

After recovering from Tommy John Surgery at the end of his senior year at Henry B. Plant High School in Tampa Bay, Caglianone picked up where he left off, setting a new single-season home run record for the Gators.