The 2026 World Baseball Classic is just weeks away, and if there's one player who can't wait to get started, it's Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino. The slugger is set to represent Team Italy for the second time when pool play opens in Houston on March 6, and he's made one thing very clear about what makes this group special.
"That's cause we're Italian," Pasquantino said. "The vibes are always high." It's the kind of quote that sums up Team Italy's identity heading into this tournament. Under new manager Francisco Cervelli, who replaced Hall of Famer Mike Piazza last January, the Italians are building something real and they have plenty of reason to feel good.
