Vinnie Pasquantino making MLB debut for Royals — and should play a lot after that too

Kansas City Royals rookie Vinnie Pasquantino will officially make his Major League debut on Tuesday, as he’s slotted to hit sixth as KC’s designated hitter against the Texas Rangers.

Pasquantino was promoted to the Royals on Monday after the team traded first baseman Carlos Santana to the Seattle Mariners. Pasquantino did not get into the game during the Royals’ 10-4 loss to the Rangers on Monday night.

It should be the first of many starts for the top prospect. KC general manager JJ Picollo said Monday that the Royals “expect he’ll be in the lineup a lot” moving forward.

“He’s got a great approach to hitting. We don’t want him to get out of that. And we’re at a point now where we’re very comfortable that he won’t get out of it,” Picollo said. “Of course, it’s the Major Leagues and there’s going to be challenges, but I think the expectation is just do what you’ve always done, and that’s take quality at-bats and let the results take care of themselves.”

Pasquantino, 24, was batting .280 with 18 home runs and 67 RBIs in 69 games with the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers. He also had 37 walks and 36 strikeouts.

“We’re excited to get him in the lineup,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said Monday, “and I think he’s going to be happy no matter where we put him in that lineup.”

Pasquantino is highly thought of among many baseball analysts. MLB Pipeline has the first baseman/designated hitter ranked as its 98th-best prospect, while Fangraphs slots him at 95th.

An 11th-round pick in the 2019 draft, Pasquantino was the International League’s player of the month in May after he batting .320 with 12 home runs, 35 RBIs, 27 runs scored, .804 slugging percentage, and 1.197 OPS in 26 games.

The Star’s Pete Grathoff contributed to this report.