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CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. \u2014 In the middle of football season, over 300 youngsters filled the baseball fields at James River High School to hear and learn from a Rapids alum who was in their shoes not long ago.<\/p>\n
Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinny Pasquantino hosted a camp at his alma mater, dispensing some of the tools and wisdom he\u2019s learned on his way to the big leagues.<\/p>\n
What question do the kids ask him the most?<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you know Aaron Judge or Shohei Ohtani??\u201d Pasquantino said with a laugh. \u201c\u2019How\u2019s [Royals 2nd<\/sup> baseman] Bobby Witt? Is he nice?\u2019 He\u2019s very nice!\u201d<\/p>\n The camp ran just three hours on Election Day morning, but Pasquantino, who is called \u201cThe Pasquatch\u201d in his big league life, stopped by every station to offer both critiques and praise for those who someday aspire to reach his level of the game.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m just hoping they get an experience out of it\u201d Pasquantino said. \u201cIt\u2019s a chance for them to meet someone who\u2019s doing what they want to do. Someone from Richmond, Virginia can make it to the major leagues and hopefully see some of me in themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n Coming off a thumb injury that nearly kept him out of last year\u2019s playoffs, Pasquantino appeared in 160 games in 2025, hitting .264 with 32 home runs and 113 RBIs, the latter two both career highs. He was twice named American League player of the week. While his personal accomplishments were gratifying, the Royals missed the postseason which was the primary goal back in February.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re not satisfied with how the season went, and that\u2019s the most important part\u201d Pasquantino explained. \u201cFor me, the goal was to be healthy and available all season, and I accomplished that. Hopefully we can build on it for years to come\u201d<\/p>\n Pasquantino just turned 28 earlier this fall, so there should be many years of his playing career still to come. But with an eye towards life after baseball, the MLB Network selected him as one of three players that served as correspondents during the World Series. He attributes his ease in front of a camera and microphone to being part of the drama department at James River as well as some training he got from one of his earliest coaches.<\/p>\n \u201cI had this basketball coach, and he\u2019s right here!! It\u2019s Jon Burkett!\u201d Pasquantino said sharing a laugh with the Crime Insider who was on hand at the camp. \u201cI\u2019m in front of a camera almost every day so you just get used to it, and I enjoy it.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/i><\/p>\nCBS 6 provides Central Virginia with the most experienced local TV sports coverage in town. Count on Lane Casadonte and Sean Robertson for the most in-depth local sports coverage. <\/h2>\n