When Caleb and I first started the Beyond Baseball podcast with Prospects Live, we could have never imagined being where we are today. We are incredibly privileged to have the opportunity to share amazing stories from current and former players focusing on the human side and who they are as individuals. To have players put their trust in us to help share their stories and to have you all following along and supporting us is something we will always be grateful for.
As we kick off the New Year with episode 10 of Beyond Baseball, we are beyond excited to bring you an interview with Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino. We dive into Vinnie’s story about how he went from an 11th round pick in 2019 out of a small school, Old Dominion University, to becoming one of the top prospects in all of baseball to making his major league debut just last year. The perspective Vinnie has about the game he loves and what winning means to him make this all worth a listen. What stood out the most is how Vinnie grew outside of the game.
Growing Outside of the Game
Outside of baseball, Vinnie had a ton of experiences that helped him grow outside of the game, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. “I was not fortunate enough to go to the alternative site or be a part of any of the workouts over the summer,” Pasquantino said. “So I got a job at a burger place called Burger IM and I was a cook.”
The experience of being a cook at a restaurant helped Vinnie gain a deeper appreciation for the work others do on a daily basis. “It was a really cool experience because I got to learn more about life and kind of how people are as opposed to just the people I have been around my entire life which were just baseball players.”
Not only that, Vinnie takes time to dive into one of his other passions, like the New York Jets. “Pretty much outside of baseball, I don’t really do much other than watch football and tweet about it,” Pasquantino said. “I’m a New York Jets fan and I watch all their games whenever I can and I light up social media about them.”
Having that outlet affords him the opportunity to focus on something else other than baseball 24/7. Even for those who play the game they love, it is always good to have something take your mind off that day to day grind and something that you can focus on in the offseason as well.
Excitement for 2023 and How He Developed His Personality
The interview is also full of insights on what Vinnie is looking forward to in the 2023 season. We talk about how excited he is to be playing for a fellow Old Dominion University alum in Matt Quatraro, the Kansas City Royals new manager as well as some of his goals going into the 2023 season.
We also asked Vinnie what drives him to bring his fun and carefree personality into the clubhouse. “We are all in the same clubhouse, we are all going through this together, let’s make it a good time if we can,” Pasquantino said. “It’s not worth coming into the clubhouse where you are with these guys at least 162 days every year to be in a bad mood or to be upset about something because while you're there, you have a job to do you might as well make it a good time.”
Pasquantino is just at the beginning of his career and it will be incredible to see what he can do over the next few years. His mindset, humor, and humility will carry him far in this game. We hope you enjoy the interview as much as we did!