The Royals did not come to an agreement with first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino on Thursday.
The Kansas City Royals had several players agree to terms to avoid arbitration ahead of Thursday’s deadline for the 2026 MLB season. The team announced deals with multiple players, but absent from that list was one of their best, first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino. He has quickly emerged as a fan favorite in Kansas City.
Pasquantino remains under team control for the next three seasons, so he is not going anywhere yet. However, contract extension talks have been nonexistent between the two sides despite his impact and offensive production when healthy.
MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reported the gap that will likely lead to an arbitration hearing was $500,000. “Arbitration exchange update: Vinnie Pasquantino filed at $4.5 million; the Royals filed at $4 million,” Feinsand wrote on X.
Pasquantino has emerged as one of the most important long-term pieces for the Royals, blending elite plate discipline with steady power and a team-first approach that makes him a face of the franchise.
The 28-year-old left-handed slugger was drafted in the 11th round of the 2019 MLB Draft, a selection that quickly proved to be a massive steal. From the moment he entered professional baseball, his offensive profile stood out, particularly his advanced strike-zone awareness and ability to make consistent, hard contact.
Unlike many power-hitting first basemen, Pasquantino’s game is built less on all-or-nothing swings and more on controlling at-bats, working counts and punishing mistakes, which has translated well at the big-league level.
Since debuting with Kansas City in 2022, Pasquantino has been one of the most reliable hitters in their lineup when healthy. Last year, he posted a .264 batting average, .323 on-base percentage and .798 OPS with 164 hits, 32 home runs and 113 RBIs across 621 at-bats.
Defensively, Pasquantino has grown into a dependable first baseman, providing solid hands, good footwork and a strong understanding of positioning. Injuries have slowed him at times and limited his availability, but each return has reinforced his importance to the club’s overall structure and leadership.
Beyond the numbers, he has become a clubhouse leader, known for his preparation, professionalism and willingness to mentor younger teammates, which is important given the Royals’ young core.
As Kansas City continues its push back toward postseason contention, Pasquantino represents the type of player the Royals should build around. His arbitration case underscores both his rising value and the organization’s challenge in committing long term, a storyline that will shape the team’s future.