Kansas City Royals star Vinnie Pasquantino made World Baseball Classic history on Wednesday with Team Italy. With a perfect 4-0 record in Pool Play, Team Italy has now advanced to the quarterfinals.
In a 9-1 victory over Team Mexico, Pasquantino hit three home runs. It marked the first three-homer game in WBC history. For Pasquantino, he admits it's the first time he has hit three bombs in the same game at any level. It wasn't long before he started hearing Reggie Jackson comparisons, via Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
“It’s just a good night. That's it,” Pasquantino said. “This will be forgotten very soon. But you know, anytime you can just say Reggie Jackson's name to me is cool.’’
The MLB Hall of Fame wanted to immortalize Pasquantino's bat after his historic performance. However, the Team Italy slugger declined, as he's hoping it leads to more blasts throughout the WBC.
“They liked the bat,’’ Pasquantino said. “I said, ‘I need the bat for a few more days.’’
At 4-0, Team Italy is entering the quarterfinals riding high. By beating Team USA, they've shown they're prepared to battle with any team in the field. If Pasquantino's bat stays as hot as it has, they'll be able to walk the walk as well.
When he returns to the Royals, Kansas City is hopeful the slugger will be a key source of run production for them as well. During the 2025 season, Pasquantino hit .264 with a career-high 32 home runs and 113 RBIs. His four years with the Royals has produced a .266 batting average with 70 home runs and 262 RBIs.
Whatever happens the rest of the way, Pasquantino has already etched his name into WBC lore. But he isn't planning on stopping swinging for the fences.
