Collecting Game-used: Jac Caglianone's first A.L. game & more

Sometimes, you just have to check the calendar.

This month's entry in the Collecting Game-used series is tied to a big name's first week in The Show -- you already know that seeing that headline -- but you may not know how easily this game-used baseball was landed. All this collector had to do was look at the schedule and then check the Chicago White Sox MLB Auctions store and pre-order a ball from that day. They're long gone now, but this ball is from just the fourth career game for Kansas City Royals rookie slugger Jac Caglianone and his first against an American League opponent after he opened his career in St. Louis three days earlier. Now, I knew the odds were likely low -- 0r, realistically, slim to none -- for landing a pitch to him or play involving him, but the price was still pretty modest at $45 ($15 of that is shipping) to take a shot. This one? It turned out to be a pretty interesting ball for a full, but not completed, plate appearance with a different player's MLB debut coming on this day, too.

Keep reading to see the details this time ... and the ball in action.

THE BASICS ...
Game-used ball (MLB Authenticated): Kansas City Royals at Chicago White Sox -- June 6, 2025
Watch it in action: Five pitches and a pick-off attempt -- and maybe more via the MLB Film Room as seen below.

The matchup: Royals All-Star SP Seth Lugo vs. White Sox rookie 1B  Tim Elko in the second inning of a 7-2 White Sox win just days ago.
The results: Five pitches to the rookie as seen below before Sox rookie C Kyle Teel was thrown out trying to steal home -- the ball was likely taken out of play after this second foul, but the ball was retrieved by Royals All-Star C Salvador Perez. It could still be this ball on that next play but I doubt it -- I'd need to find the full broadcast to know for sure. (I've included that clip just for fun.) This all also came three batters after Teel made the first plate appearance of his career -- so, yes, it's an MLB debut ball, too.

The plays ... 

..

First pitch -- ball

..

Second pitch -- big swinging foul-tip strike

..

Third pitch -- ball

..

Fourth pitch -- called strike

..

Pick-off attempt to Royals 1B Vinnie Pasquantino

..

Fifth pitch -- fouled to backstop, rolling back to Royals C Salvador Perez

..

The following play (likely not this ball but video is inconclusive) -- pitch is a ball, thrown to second on double steal with the final out coming at plate. (Perez takes that ball with him after the out.)
--

What's Buzz-worthy: All the good stuff and names attached here were mentioned above but there's plenty tied to this ball -- in fact, this is probably the most plays I've seen attached to one and I own many. A few teams -- but not a bunch -- do pre-sell certain items that are pulled from play, so checking the calendar this time landed me a ball with some good trivia. Caglianone went hitless in his debut and played in a doubleheader the day before this game (first hit there) but only recorded his fourth strikeout in this one as part of an 0-for-4 day as DH. Teel became the 23,495th player in MLB history in this one (Caglianone was No. 23,494 earlier in the week) and went 1-for-2 with a pair of walks and that caught-stealing play. This was Elko's 13th career game, by the way, and Lugo's 346th appearance of his career. This ball has some nice wear on it and some of that is from the contact with his bat and the backstop but it's the trivia that makes this one a win this time -- also not bad considering this arrived at my desk just eight days after it was on the field.

--

>> See all past Collecting Game-used stories from Buzz here

--

Follow Buzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz or send email to BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com. 

>> Click here to buy baseball cards on BlowoutCards.com