Pasquantino thinks the Italian team will be high energy.
The 2026 World Baseball Classic is just weeks away, and if there's one player who can't wait to get started, it's Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino.
The slugger is set to represent Team Italy for the second time when pool play opens in Houston on March 6, and he's made one thing very clear about what makes this group special.
"That's cause we're Italian," Pasquantino said. "The vibes are always high."
It's the kind of quote that sums up Team Italy's identity heading into this tournament.
Under new manager Francisco Cervelli, who replaced Hall of Famer Mike Piazza last January, the Italians are building something real and they have plenty of reason to feel good.
The squad earned a silver medal at the 2025 European Baseball Championship and now brings what many consider to be the most talented Italian WBC roster ever, featuring names like Aaron Nola, Jac Caglianone and Kyle Teel alongside Pasquantino.
Pasquantino Coming Off a Career Year
The good vibes start with Pasquantino's bat.
The 28-year-old had the best season of his career in 2025, slashing .264/.323/.475 with 32 home runs and 113 RBI across 160 games for a Royals team that went 82-80.
His RBI total ranked third in the American League, and he earned AL Player of the Week honors twice while matching a franchise record by homering in five straight games in August.
That kind of power is what Italy needs.
In the 2023 WBC, the Italian lineup hit just one home run during the entire tournament, so Pasquantino's growth since then gives the team a whole new dimension at the plate.
More Than Just Baseball
What stands out about Pasquantino's commitment is how personal it is.
The Richmond, Virginia, native traces his Italian roots through his father's side and his first trip to Italy ahead of the 2023 Classic changed the way he looked at everything.
He came back with a deeper connection to what the tournament means to the Federation of Italian Baseball and Softball, which has been working to grow the sport.
"We look at this like we're holding the torch for Italy right now," Pasquantino has said. "The hope would be to build some sort of excitement over there, and they take the torch from us."
Italy's Path in Pool B
Team Italy sits in Pool B alongside the United States, Mexico, Great Britain and Brazil, with all games in Houston.
It's a tough draw, but Italy has a history of pulling off upsets. The Italians advanced out of pool play in 2023 through a wild five-team tiebreaker before falling to Japan in the quarterfinals.
With the most complete roster they've ever put together, they'll be looking to go even further this time around.
If the vibes have anything to do with it, Pasquantino and Team Italy might just surprise some people.