Royals Slugger Predicted To Produce 'Significant Home Run Uptick' In 2025

Kansas City is banking on a few guys to have career years at the plate

Feb 20, 2017; Surprise, AZ, USA; Kansas City Royals uniforms hang in the doorway leading into the area set aside for spring training photo day at Surprise Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-Imagn Images / Allan Henry-Imagn Images

The Kansas City Royals have an MVP-level bat in Bobby Witt Jr., but they’ll need other hitters in their lineup to produce around Witt Jr. to get back to the playoffs in 2025.

Kansas City will be looking to guys like new acquisition Jonathan India and slugger Vinnie Pasquantino to have career years, as both players are in their prime.

On Friday, Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter predicted that Pasquantino will do just that. Reuter forecasted that Pasquantino will hit 30 home runs for the first time in his career this season.

“An 11th-round pick out of Old Dominion in 2019, Vinnie Pasquantino turned in a breakout season on the other side of the cancelled 2020 minor league season, hitting .300/.394/.563 with 37 doubles, 24 home runs and 84 RBI in 116 games between High-A and Double-A,” Reuter wrote.

“He has continued to hit every step of the way while rising the ranks to emerge as one of the key bats in the middle of the Kansas City Royals lineup alongside Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez.”

“The 27-year-old hit .262/.315/.446 with 30 doubles, 19 home runs and 97 RBI in 131 games last season. While Kauffman Stadium is not the friendliest home ballpark for a power hitter, the tools are there for a significant home run uptick.”

Pasquantino has just one home run through Kansas City’s first six games. He’s slashing .167/.286/.500 for the 2-4 Royals.

Nonetheless, there are still 156 games left for the “Pasquatch” to blast 29 more homers and do right by Reuter’s prediction.

Pasquantino hit 19 home runs in 2024.

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