It's time for the KC Royals to address the Vinnie Pasquantino question

Seven long seasons, most of them mediocre, have passed since Eric Hosmer played his last game as a Kansas City Royal. A darling of Royals fans almost from the moment he broke into the majors in 2011, the club wanted Hosmer back when his contract expired after the 2017 campaign, but he headed for San Diego and the $143 million long-term contract the Padres gave him.

Hosmer left the Royals with gaping holes at first base and the plate, and only now with Vinnie Pasquantino should the team feel it's filled both gaps. Although the big slugger hasn't hit or fielded quite as well as Hosmer did, he's proving to be much more than merely serviceable.

And unless the Royals do the presently unthinkable thing and trade him, Pasquantino figures to be in Kansas City a long time, especially because he's under so much team control — only after next season will he be eligible for arbitration, and he can't test free agency until the 2028 campaign ends.

But with teams increasingly willing to lock up young stars with early contract extensions, Pasquantino has to be on the Royals' list of extension candidates. Now the question is whether the time is right for a new deal.

Why it might be time for the KC Royals to extend Vinnie Pasquantino

Three threshold criteria — production, popularity, and potential — should drive any extension decision, including the one KC general manager J.J. Picollo and principal owner John Sherman will eventually make about Pasquantino.

Production heads the list — Picollo and Sherman must decide whether Pasquantino has given the club enough to warrant long-term consideration. Except for those times injuries have forced him out of the lineup (more on that shortly), he's delivered. In 2022, he slashed .295/.383/.450 with 10 homers in 72 games after the Royals brought him up in June to replace Carlos Santana; in 2023, he managed nine homers and 26 RBI before right labrum surgery ruined his season in June; and this year, he had 97 RBI, 19 homers, and 30 doubles when the fractured thumb he suffered in August put him on the Injured List for the rest of the regular season.

Overall, Pasquantino has homered 38 times, driven in 149 runs, and slashed .267/.335/.445 in 264 games. His defense isn't as good as four-time Gold Glover Hosmer's, but he's not a defensive liability.

How about popularity?

Vinnie Pasquantino's status as a fan favorite strengthens his case

Production is vital, but popularity also matters. Popular players drive more ticket sales than those hometown fans dislike, lovable players put ticket buyers in stadium seats more often, and fans tend to spend a lot of money on food, drink, souvenirs, and other ballpark amenities when their favorite team's roster features popular big leaguers.

As such, likable players can command more money when they emphasize production and popularity during contract negotiations. Bobby Witt Jr., who signed the richest extension in Royals history, and Salvador Pérez, who owns the most mutually advantageous contract extension in club history (Witt Jr. will someday claim that honor) probably wouldn't have pulled down quite the compensation they did if they weren't so popular with the fans and community.

So what about Pasquantino? He may not occupy quite the same level on the popularity scale as Witt Jr. and Pérez, but he's close. It took him no time at all to endear himself to the club, its fans, and Kansas City, he's a magnetic social media personality, and he speaks well and at length about the club, his teammates, and everything Royal.

Popularity? You bet.