Vinnie Pasquantino Is Keeping It Real - and That’s Exactly What the Royals Need Right Now
Vinnie Pasquantino doesn’t just stand out because he’s 6-foot-3 and north of 240 pounds (though he’s looking leaner these days). What really sets him apart is his personality - a blend of charisma, wit, and a refreshing dose of honesty that makes him one of the most engaging voices in baseball today.
Before he was launching 32 homers and driving in 113 runs for the Royals last season - and long before the “Pasquatch” nickname took hold - Pasquantino was stealing the show in middle school theater productions. Yes, that’s right: Bilbo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings, a flying monkey in The Wizard of Oz. The guy’s been performing for a while, just in different arenas.
But while his larger-than-life presence and sense of humor grab attention, there’s a deeper layer to Pasquantino that Royals fans - and the baseball world - are starting to appreciate more and more. He’s not afraid to break the so-called fourth wall. Whether it’s with fans, reporters, or on social media, he invites people into his thought process with a level of candor that’s rare in pro sports.
That openness was on full display again this weekend at Royals Rally at Kauffman Stadium. Pasquantino wasn’t even scheduled to speak - until news broke that he had signed a two-year, $11 million extension with the club, with incentives that could push the deal to $15.7 million.
The timing was significant. The deal avoided what could have been a contentious arbitration hearing over a $500,000 gap - the Royals offering $4 million, Pasquantino’s side asking for $4.5 million. That’s not a massive chasm in baseball terms, but it’s enough to create tension, especially for a player who’s become a cornerstone of the Royals’ hopes for a postseason return.
And Pasquantino, true to form, didn’t shy away from talking about it.
Earlier in January, when the Royals announced plans to move in the outfield fences at Kauffman, Pasquantino responded on X (formerly Twitter) with a post that was part curiosity, part self-aware commentary, and all honesty: “I’m very curious how this is going to play out in multiple ways. And honestly mostly from a data perspective (this hits close to home because I’m about to go into a room and hear how awful I am).”
That post wasn’t just a joke - it was a window into the mental side of arbitration, where players essentially have to sit through a meeting in which their own team argues why they’re worth less money. It’s a cold process. And Pasquantino didn’t just acknowledge that - he leaned into it, using humor to make a larger point about how data and emotion collide in today’s game.
On Saturday, he called that post “a thinking exercise.” That’s how his mind works - always processing, always questioning. And sometimes, he does that out loud.
“I try to think about things before I react to them,” he said. “And sometimes when I’m thinking about them publicly, it seems like I’m reacting… which is totally fair.”
Fair is a good word for how this contract extension played out. Pasquantino summed it up well: “I think both sides are taking on some risk. I think both sides understand the value here.”
That mutual understanding matters. Royals GM J.J.
Picollo said there wasn’t a rush to get the deal done, but for Pasquantino, the timing felt right. The agreement gives him clarity heading into a season where expectations are rising - and where the Royals are counting on him to be more than just a bat in the middle of the lineup.
Does he need that peace of mind to perform? Maybe not. But it doesn’t hurt.
Pasquantino knows baseball is a business. He gets that even $4 million is life-changing money to most people.
He also has a healthy respect for analytics - joking that his favorite metrics are the ones that rank him the highest. But he also values the Royals’ internal data, especially the kind that doesn’t show up in public stat sheets - things like defensive positioning and the nuances of game planning.
Still, as Tony La Russa once said, the game is about “men, not machines.” And Pasquantino is very much a human being with thoughts, emotions, and a strong sense of self.
“You get told ‘it’s a business, it’s a business, it’s a business,’ and you try to take the emotions out of it,” he said. “However, you’re talking about an individual salary, and when you are that individual…”
He paused, laughed, and then finished the thought.
“It makes it a little bit more personal,” he said. “As un-personal as it is, because it’s just math and looking at a value and determining what that value is.”
But when you are the decimal point in that equation?
“Just naturally, even if it’s not [personal],” he added, “And I’ve always been a chip-on-my-shoulder guy. Very easy to put one on your shoulder there.”
That shoulder - and the heart that’s right next to it - are what make Pasquantino such a vital piece of what the Royals are building.
He’s part of a core that includes Bobby Witt Jr., Salvador Perez, Maikel Garcia, a strong starting rotation, and a bullpen that can close out games. It’s a group that’s been through some growing pains.
Last year’s season? Pasquantino didn’t sugarcoat it - he called it “a failure.”
Now, the message is clear: it’s time.
As Picollo put it: “At some point, it’s your time. Right now, Bobby, Vinnie, Maikel - it’s your time.”
Pasquantino agrees. And with the front office showing faith in him, he’s ready to turn that belief into something real.
Real - just like him.