Vinnie Pasquantino's Life Long Dream Came True In 2019

Vinnie's life came to a quick halt of disbelief that a lifetime goal of long hours, determination, commitment to a game that is "for kids", came true. It was the rush of emotion that overcame that it truly happened to him.

Vinnie, sitting in the McDonalds drive-thru ordering with his mom, Jennifer, brother Zach, and girlfriend, Ryann, for his father, Dennis, who was stuck in a work meeting.
He looked down at his phone and saw an incoming call from his teammate from Old Dominion, Bryce Windham, and answered it. Bryce said one word: "Congratulations".
He responded to a teammate he knew for over five years by asking the question "What for"? His teammate quickly said that he had been drafted by the Kansas City Royals. 
Vinnie's experienced a quick moment of disbelief that a lifetime goal of long hours, determination, commitment to a game that is "for kids", came true. It was the rush of emotion that overcame that it truly happened to him.
He grew up telling everyone he wanted to become a professional baseball player. At that moment, he learned it all came true. 
That lifetime dream became as real as it could get all during a trip to pick up two double cheeseburgers, a medium fry, and a Diet Coke for his father. When asked how important his parents are to what got him to where he is today, he responded "The most important".
Within two days of getting this life altering news, he began working out at the Royals spring training complex in Arizona, making this fantasy of playing for a professional baseball team more of a reality, and more quickly than expected. 
One of the biggest challenges that Vinnie had to face was simply the daily lifestyle of a professional baseball player.
"Most people's workday is from 9am to 5pm and ours is from 2:30 pm- to when the game ends. Just getting used to that was an adjustment for sure, but it was a fun challenge to learn to handle". 
The best advice anyone had ever given him was to have fun with whatever he is doing. And that is what he is doing. Playing baseball.
"I shouldn't ever be doing anything where I'm not having a good time if it's my choice to do so. Life is too short to not be having a good time."
Vinnie was having the time of his life playing his first playoff series against his childhood favorite team, the Yankees. 
It was not your typical baseball game. It was a baseball marathon. 
17 innings. 5 hours. 19 minutes. 
A win for the Royals meant they would move on to the championship game, which was exactly what ended up happening. 
In the longest games, Pasquantino ever played in, he ended up going 3 for 5, scoring twice and walked three times. 
"The stadium was electric, and the win was everything to the team."
Burlington, North Carolina, a small city, but its people sure love their baseball. It is the backbone of the community, and they all truly care about the team. 
"I felt their presence and support during every game I played at the stadium. To me, being a Royal means representing a first-class organization. That is something I appreciate about the Royals, I know if something is going on in my life I have somebody to talk to about it and that I am truly cared for."
If you combined both of his seasons - Old Dominion and the Royals - he hit 30 home runs in 2019. Since power is important in today's game, his college coaches Tony Guzzo, Chris Finwood, Logan Robbins, made sure he knew how to hit. 
Alex Feuz is the broadcaster and reporter for the Burlington Royals. You can follow @alexfeuz on Twitter. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.