Two-way standout Jac Caglianone has batted .418/.592/.862 with 28 homers in 51 games while pitching to a 5-1 record, .214 BAA and 4.07 ERA across 12 starts.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – For the second-consecutive season, Florida first baseman/left-handed pitcher Jac Caglianone<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/jac-caglianone/16365> has been named a John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award Semifinalist as announced by the College Baseball Foundation on Tuesday afternoon.
Although Caglianone surprisingly lost the nation’s top two-way honor to Clemson’s Caden Grice last season, the 2023 Golden Spikes Award Finalist is one of four repeat semifinalists from one year ago. The 10 semifinalists for the 2024 John Olerud Award stem from nine different conferences.
“Whether they’re seasoned upperclassmen or up-and-coming underclassmen, this year’s Olerud semifinalists are making a major impact both for their team and on the game itself,” said George Watson, chairman of the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year selection committee. “With only a couple weeks left before the NCAA tournament begins, it will be interesting to see how many of these talented players will lead their team into the Field of 64.”
After homering in an NCAA-record nine-straight games from April 6-19, Caglianone followed the act with an equally brilliant one by going 66-consecutive plate appearances without a strikeout from April 7-27. At present, the slugger ranks as the 36th-most-difficult hitter to strike out in the country with 10.9 at bats per strikeout. Caglianone’s unparalleled power-contact combination has fueled him to an 18-to-38 strikeout-to-walk ratio, 7.4% strikeout rate and 28 home runs on the season, the latter of which is tied for second nationally.
Caglianone paces the Gators in virtually every offensive statistic including batting average (.418), on-base percentage (.529), slugging (.862), OPS (1.391), hits (82), homers, RBI (55), runs (62) and walks (38). The two-way standout ranks second in the SEC in hits, homers, total bases (169), batting average (seventh in NCAA) and slugging (fifth), third in OBP (10th), fifth in runs scored and t-11th in RBI.
On the mound, Caglianone is 5-1 and his .214 batting average against is the seventh-best in the SEC, as the southpaw has been charged with the fifth-fewest hits allowed and third-fewest homers surrendered among qualified SEC hurlers while ranking 14th in the conference with 59 2/3 innings pitched. The southpaw paces the Gators with 12 games started and his 66 strikeouts are good for a 10.0 K/9.
The John Olerud Award is named for former Washington State University standout John Olerud, who achieved success both as a first baseman and left-handed pitcher during the late 1980s. He was inducted into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007. The award will be presented by the College Baseball Foundation later this year.
The five finalists for the Olerud Award will be announced during the NCAA tournament. The winner will be announced on June 17.
For more information on the Olerud Award, visit the College Baseball Foundation website at www.collegebaseballhall.org<http://www.collegebaseballhall.org/>.
2024 JOHN OLERUD TWO-WAY PLAYER OF THE YEAR SEMIFINALISTS
Name Class. School Conference
Ethan Bates Senior Louisiana Tech Conference USA
Carson Benge* Junior Oklahoma State Big 12
Jac Caglianone<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/jac-caglianone/16365>* Junior Florida SEC
Cameron Jones Sophomore Georgia Tech ACC
Lyle Miller-Green Senior Austin Peay Atlantic Sun
Justin Murray Senior Houston Big 12
DJ Newman Sophomore Bowling Green Mid-American
Erik Paulsen Freshman Stony Brook Coastal Athletic
Austin Smith* Junior San Diego West Coast
Mitch Voit* Sophomore Michigan Big Ten
* — 2023 semifinalist
###
