Under-The-Radar: Vinnie Pasquantino Playing Big Role In Return Season
The Kansas City Royals have seen a surge in young talent this season. It's one of the reasons they're looking at a playoff spot and competing for the American League Central, surprising the league and national media.
Kansas City has already matched its win total from last season, showing one of the most significant season-to-season improvements for a ballclub in Major League Baseball history. While there are a lot of new faces for the Royals, the team has built home-grown talent to build the organization's foundation on the field. A prime example has been Vinnie Pasquantino.
The first baseman was selected by the Royals in the 11th round of the 2019 MLB Draft. Pasquantino would have to wait until 2022 before he would appear in a big league game, breaking through with 72 appearances in that season. He gave Royals fans a lot to be excited about, hitting .295 through those 72 appearances with 10 home runs. It seemed that Kansas City had found its guy, but no one really knew for sure as opponents and pitchers adjusted during the offseason.
Going into the 2023 season the hopes were high for Pasquantino who was just one of the bright spots amongst a team that was predicted to, and eventually did finish, among the worst teams in the league. Pasquantino slightly came back to earth, hitting .247 over the first 61 games of the season. When things couldn't get worse for the already worst-in-the-league Royals, Kansas City lost Pasaquantino to surgery. He needed surgery to repair a torn right labrum in his right shoulder, ending his season and taking away half a year of his development.
Despite the injury, Pasquantino looked forward, and entered the 2024 season ready to play.
After 99 games this season, Pasquantino had a batting average of .258, the third highest on the team. Outside of Kansas City's two all-stars, Pasquantino has been far and away the best hitter on the roster. He's tallied 93 hits and 11 home runs, being one of the Royals' largest providers of offensive firepower. He also leads the league in sacrifice flies, creating 12 of his 66 RBIs that way.
Pasquantino is placed perfectly in the Royals order, allowing him to drive in high contact hitting teammates like Bobby Witt Jr, Maikel Garcia, or even Adam Frazier. He has given the Royals everything that they need from him and more.
While Pasquantino has all the numbers to back up his production and his case for one of the most important players on this Kansas City roster, he's without the moments that make a player great. In a bases-loaded situation, Royals manager Matt Quatraro turned to Pasquantino in a pinch-hit scenario, hoping to extend the lead on the A's in a one-run game. Pasquantino sliced a ball down the third base line, bringing across all runners and extending the Royals lead to four and eventually securing the sweep.
He might not be the best or flashiest Royals player, but his contributions can't be overlooked. Pasquantino fuels the Royals to win, both with his on the field performance and with his personal ambitions, all while taking none of it for granted.
"Definitely something that I don't take for granted. I appreciate every single day in this clubhouse and winning definitely does help," said Pasquantino when asked to reflect on the Royals' transformation and his past injury "I'm a competitor so winning isn't something that I take for granted, but it is something that I do expect."
The timing couldn't be better, either. Pasquantino has done everything right the surging Kansas City Royals team that drafted him all the way back in 2019, and he's rewarding them with sensational play on a team-friendly contract.
See also: Royals in Key Series Against Cubs
AUSTIN BIDWELL
Austin is a sports journalist from Kansas City, Mo. He is a freshman at The University of Missouri-Columbia, pursuing a degree in sports journalism.