The Kansas City Royals announced on Wednesday that first baseman/DH Vinnie Pasquantino, on the IL since last week with a shoulder injury, has suffered a torn labrum that will require season-ending surgery to repair. It’s a brutal blow to the Royals, who’ve had arguably the worst offense in baseball this year even with Pasquantino in the lineup. It’s also a brutal blow to fantasy baseball managers who spent a top-100 pick on the slugger in drafts this spring after his breakout performance in 2022.
It’ll be awfully tough for K.C. to replace Pasquantino’s on-base skills and pop at the top of the order. For fantasy managers who suddenly find themselves with a hole at first base, though, you might be able to find a solution in his back-up: former first-round pick Nick Pratto.
Nick Pratto fantasy impact
You’d be forgiven for not paying attention to Pratto ‘til now: The 14th overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft, the Huntington Beach High School product busted onto prospect lists everywhere with a monster season in the Minors in 2021, reaching Kansas City the next year. But he was abysmal in his first taste of the Majors, hitting just .184, and with Pasquantino breaking out at first base, it seemed like he’d go down as a bust.
But while Pasquantino got all the buzz this spring, he hasn’t been the only former top prospect putting up solid numbers in a corner spot for the Royals. It’s been a totally different story this year, with a healthy .281/.367/.425 slash line and four homers (plus two steals) in 42 games. His strikeout rate is still higher than you’d like, but he draws walks at an elite level, and his increase in hard-hit and and line drive rates show how much more damage he’s doing at the plate this year.
The swing-and-miss (not to mention his home park, the spacious Kauffman Stadium) will keep his power numbers a bit lower than you’d like, much like Pasquantino. But also like Pasquantino, his on-base skills appear to be very real. Pratto has been leading off against righties lately, and especially if you’re in an OBP league, he could be a very helpful player while hitting atop K.C.’s lineup.
