Vinnie Pasquantino
{{short description|American baseball player (born 1997)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name = Vinnie Pasquantino
|image = Vinnie Pasquantino atbat 2023.png
|caption = Pasquantino with the Kansas City Royals in 2023.
|team = Kansas City Royals
|number = 9
|position = First baseman / Designated hitter
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1997|10|10}}
|birth_place = Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
|bats = Left
|throws = Left
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate = June 28
|debutyear = 2022
|debutteam = Kansas City Royals
|statleague = MLB
|statyear = June 8, 2025
|stat1label = Batting average
|stat1value = .270
|stat2label = Home runs
|stat2value = 48
|stat3label = Runs batted in
|stat3value = 187
|teams =
- Kansas City Royals ({{mlby|2022}}–present)
}}
Vincent Joseph Pasquantino (born October 10, 1997), nicknamed "Pasquatch," is an American professional baseball first baseman and designated hitter for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2022.
Amateur career
Pasquantino attended James River High School in Midlothian, Virginia. In 2016, he enrolled at Old Dominion University and played college baseball for the Old Dominion Monarchs. In 2018, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Hyannis Harbor Hawks of the Cape Cod Baseball League.{{Cite web |title=Vinnie Pasquantino - Cape Cod Baseball League - player |url=http://www.pointstreak.com/player.html?playerid=1214581&seasonid=31242 |access-date=October 2, 2022 |website=Pointstreak Sports Technologies}} After his junior season at Old Dominion, he was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the 11th round of the 2019 Major League Baseball draft.{{Cite web |date=June 5, 2019 |title=Kansas City Royals select ODU's Vinnie Pasquantino in 11th round of MLB Draft |url=https://www.wtkr.com/2019/06/05/royals-select-odus-vinnie-pasquantino-in-11th-round-of-mlb-draft |access-date=October 2, 2022 |website=News 3 WTKR Norfolk |language=en}}
Professional career
=Minor leagues=
File:Pasquantino (52048280711) (cropped).jpg in 2022]]
File:Vinnie Pasquantino 2023.png
Pasquantino made his professional debut in 2019 with the Rookie-level Burlington Royals, batting .294 with 14 home runs and 53 runs batted in (RBIs) over 57 games.{{Cite web |last=Sutton |first=Bob |date=July 6, 2019 |title=Pasquantino's big night highlights Royals' romp |url=https://www.thetimesnews.com/story/sports/minors/2019/07/07/pasquantinos-big-night-highlights-royals-romp/4747090007/ |access-date=October 2, 2022 |website=Burlington Times News}} He did not play in 2020 because the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pilotonline.com/sports/vp-sp-peninsula-pilots-minor-leaguers-20200811-6ui6kphkrndvlaxlcjjiux6fki-story.html|title = Andre Lipcius and Vinnie Pasquantino lost their minor league season. The Peninsula Pilots helped give some of it back| date=August 11, 2020 }} He started the 2021 season with the Single-A Quad Cities River Bandits before being promoted to the Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals.{{Cite web |last=Batterson |first=Steve |date=July 3, 2021 |title=Competition, podcast lessons motivate Pasquantino |url=https://qctimes.com/sports/baseball/professional/minor/midwest-league/competition-podcast-lessons-motivate-pasquantino/article_34a42b23-a07c-5360-8ea9-f741a5152411.html |access-date=October 2, 2022 |website=The Quad-City Times |language=en}} Over 116 games between the two teams, he slashed .300/.394/.563 with 24 home runs, 84 RBIs, and 37 doubles.{{Cite web |last=Lewis |first=Alec |date=September 24, 2021 |title=The rise of under-the-radar Royals prospect Vinnie Pasquantino: 'He could run for mayor' |url=https://theathletic.com/2845106/2021/09/24/the-rise-of-under-the-radar-royals-prospect-vinnie-pasquantino-he-could-run-for-mayor/ |access-date=October 2, 2022 |website=The Athletic}} Pasquantino opened the 2022 season with the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers. After the Royals traded first baseman Carlos Santana on June 27, Pasquantino was promoted to the active roster.{{Cite web |last=Grathoff |first=Pete |date=June 27, 2022 |title=It's Vinnie Pasquantino's time as Kansas City Royals trade Carlos Santana: The details |url=https://www.kansascity.com/sports/mlb/kansas-city-royals/article262930463.html |access-date=October 2, 2022 |website=KansasCity.com}}
=Major leagues=
On July 1, 2022, Pasquantino hit a home run off of Detroit Tigers starter Michael Pineda for his first career major league hit.{{cite news |last1=Worthy |first1=Lynn |title=Royals' Vinnie Pasquantino got tagged out and hit his first homer on the same play |url=https://www.kansascity.com/sports/mlb/kansas-city-royals/article263119403.html |access-date=July 7, 2023 |work=Kansas City Star |date=July 2, 2022}} He hit his second career homer on July 11, coincidentally also off of Pineda.{{Cite news|first1=Nathan|last1=Han|title=Seeing double? KC Royals' Vinnie Pasquantino slams second homer in similar fashion|url=https://kansascity.com/sports/mlb/kansas-city-royals/article263370663.html|access-date=May 23, 2023|work=Kansas City Star|language=en}} He was named the American League Player of the Week for August 8 to 14 when he hit .455 with four home runs and six RBIs in six games.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/vinnie-pasquantino-manny-machado-named-players-of-week|title=A Royal and a Friar net Player of the Week honors|website=MLB.com}}
Pasquantino made the Opening Day roster for Kansas City in 2023. Playing in 61 games, he hit .247/.324/.437 with 9 home runs and 26 RBI.{{cite news |last1=Rogers |first1=Anne |title=Pasquantino (right shoulder) likely out for season in blue day for KC |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/vinnie-pasquantino-shoulder-surgery-royals |access-date=June 15, 2023 |work=MLB.com |date=June 14, 2023}}{{cite news |last1=Thompson |first1=Jaylon |title=Kansas City Royals' Vinnie Pasquantino will miss the remainder of the 2023 MLB season |url=https://www.kansascity.com/sports/mlb/kansas-city-royals/article276338366.html |access-date=June 15, 2023 |work=Kansas City Star |date=June 14, 2023}} The Royals organization started a continuing tradition of having a team employee dressed in a bigfoot or sasquatch costume walk across the roof of the team hall of fame in left field each time Pasquantino reaches base; Pasquantino was not told by the team of the stunt beforehand, only learning of it when a friend sent him a link to a tweet containing a clip of the event. Pasquantino has embraced it, along with his nickname of "Pasquatch," wearing a gold sasquatch necklace. The Royals have also arranged promotional Pasquatch-themed giveaways such as necklaces and small figurines.{{cite news |last=Newell|first=Jesse|date=April 4, 2023 |title=Why is a Sasquatch roaming left field at Royals home games this year? Let’s explain|url=https://www.kansascity.com/sports/mlb/kansas-city-royals/article273968535.html |work=Kansas City Star|location=Kansas City, MO|publisher=Kansas City Star|access-date=}} On June 14, 2023, it was announced that Pasquantino would undergo season–ending surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder.{{Cite web|title=Royals lose Vinnie Pasquantino for rest of 2023 with shoulder injury as K.C.'s season gets even worse|url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/royals-lose-vinnie-pasquantino-for-rest-of-2023-with-shoulder-injury-as-k-c-s-season-gets-even-worse/|access-date=June 14, 2023|website=cbssports.com|date=June 14, 2023 |language=en}}{{cite news |title=Royals' Vinnie Pasquantino to have surgery for torn labrum |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/37854136/royals-vinnie-pasquantino-surgery-torn-labrum |access-date=June 15, 2023 |work=ESPN.com |date=June 14, 2023}}
Pasquantino began the 2024 season as the Royals' starting first baseman. During a game versus the Houston Astros on August 29, Pasquantino suffered a broken right thumb when Astros catcher Yainer Diaz ran into his outstretched hand as he attempted to field a throw from pitcher Lucas Erceg. He underwent surgery which ended his regular season.{{cite news |last1=Rogers |first1=Anne |title=Pasquantino has broken right thumb, out 6-8 weeks |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/vinnie-pasquantino-broken-right-thumb-injury|access-date=September 3, 2024|work=MLB.com |date=August 30, 2024}} He played in 131 regular season games in 2024, slashing a combined .262/.315/.446 with 19 home runs, and 97 RBIs.{{Cite web |date=September 3, 2024 |title=Vinnie Pasquantino Likely To Undergo Season-Ending Surgery |url=https://thereportonsports.com/vinnie-pasquantino-likely-to-undergo-season-ending-surgery/ |access-date=September 4, 2024 |website=thereportonsports.com |language=en-US}} On October 1, 2024, Pasquantino was added to the Royals' postseason roster for their Wild Card round matchup against the Baltimore Orioles.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/41549817/vinnie-pasquantino-returns-royals-roster-al-wild-card-series|title=Vinnie Pasquantino returns to Royals roster for AL Wild Card Series|publisher=ESPN|date=October 1, 2024|access-date=October 1, 2024|language=en}} Playing in two games, he batted .286 with two hits and one RBI, also drawing two walks.
Paquantino began the 2025 season as the Royals' starting first baseman. On June 5, 2025, Pasquantino matched a career high with four hits in the first game of Thursday’s doubleheader at St. Louis.{{Cite web |title=Contreras comes up with 3rd career walk-off in 1,000th career game |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/cardinals-walk-off-royals-in-game-1-of-doubleheader |last=Denton |first=John |date=June 6, 2025 |access-date=June 9, 2025 |website=MLB.com}} Between June 2 and 8, he went 13-for-26 with a double, 2 home runs, and 7 RBI in 7 games. He became the American League Player of the Week for that span.{{Cite web |url=https://www.mlb.com/press-release/press-release-pete-alonso-of-the-mets-named-national-league-player-of-the-week-presented-by-chevrolet-vinnie-pasquantino-of-the-royals-named-american-league-player-of-the-week-presented-by-chevrolet. |title=Pete Alonso of the Mets named National League Player of the Week Presented by Chevrolet; Vinnie Pasquantino of the Royals named American League Player of the Week Presented by Chevrolet |date=June 9, 2025 |website=MLB.com}}
International career
Pasquantino is of Italian descent, choosing to represent his ancestors' home country as part of the Italian national baseball team for both the 2023 and 2026 editions of the World Baseball Classic.{{cite web | last=Castrovince | first=Anthony | title=Team Italy World Baseball Classic 2023 roster | website=MLB.com | date=February 10, 2023 | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/team-italy-world-baseball-classic-2023-roster | access-date=October 26, 2024}}{{cite web | last=Chiusano | first=Scott | title=Pasquantino is back for Team Italy in 2026 World Baseball Classic | website=MLB.com | date=May 7, 2025 | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/vinnie-pasquantino-team-italy-world-baseball-classic-2026 | access-date=May 7, 2025}}
Personal life
Pasquantino and Ryann Harris announced their engagement in September 2022. Like Pasquantino, Harris attended Old Dominion University, where she played for the women's soccer team.{{cite news |title=Vinnie Pasquantino gets engaged after final home game of the season |url=https://fox4kc.com/sports/royals/vinnie-pasquantino-gets-engaged-after-final-home-game-of-the-season/ |access-date=July 7, 2023 |publisher=WDAF-TV |date=September 26, 2022}} The two married in December 2023.{{Cite web |last=S |first=Safeer M. |date=2025-03-24 |title=Bobby Witt Jr. opens up about relationship with Vinnie Pasquantino |url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/baseball/news-bobby-witt-jr-opens-relationship-vinnie-pasquantino |access-date=2025-04-18 |website=www.sportskeeda.com |language=en-us}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
{{baseballstats|mlb=686469|espn=4109109|br=p/pasquvi01|fangraphs=27676|brm=pasqua000vin|retro=P/Ppasqv001}}
{{Kansas City Royals roster navbox}}
{{Italy roster 2023 World Baseball Classic}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pasquantino, Vinnie}}
Category:American people of Italian descent
Category:Baseball players from Richmond, Virginia
Category:Burlington Royals players
Category:Hyannis Harbor Hawks players
Category:Kansas City Royals players
Category:Major League Baseball first basemen
Category:Northwest Arkansas Naturals players
Category:Old Dominion Monarchs baseball players
Category:Omaha Storm Chasers players
Category:Quad Cities River Bandits players