Pasquantino went 0-4 in an 8-3 loss to the Rangers on Tuesday.

EDGE Analysis

The highly-touted top-100 prospect had a tough first game against big-league pitching, going hitless and grounding into a double play while slotted in as the designated hitter. Pasquantino should see plenty of at-bats with Salvador Perez (thumb) out of the lineup due to injury and Carlos Santana having being traded to the Mariners. The Royals don't shape up as contenders this season, so it's likely they will let young players like Pasquantino garner plenty of experience.

Pasquantino will bat sixth and serve as the designated hitter in his major-league debut Tuesday against Texas.

EDGE Analysis

Pasquantino was called up Monday but didn't appear in the series opener, though that was reportedly due to his late arrival at the stadium rather than the fact the Royals were facing a lefty in Martin Perez. He'll get his first taste of the big leagues here against righty Jon Gray and is expected to face both lefties and righties going forward.

Pasquantino, who was just called up by the Royals on Monday, won't be in the lineup right away, as it will be Hunter Dozier who starts at first base against the Rangers.

EDGE Analysis

The Royals presumably didn't call Pasquantino up to keep him on the bench, so he should see his name in the starting lineup soon. The fact that he'll be on the bench here against lefty Martin Perez does raise the possibility that he's merely viewed as a platoon bat for now, though even if that's the case, the Royals don't line up to face a lefty for quite some time, so he should start regularly going forward. Per Anne Rogers of MLB.com, fears of a platoon are probably unfounded, as Pasquantino's absence from the lineup has more to do with his late arrival at the stadium after a busy day than the handedness of the opposing pitcher. He's expected to be in the lineup against both righties and lefties on a regular basis.

Pasquantino's contract was selected by the Royals on Monday.

EDGE Analysis

Pasquantino has been crushing the ball for Triple-A Omaha as he waited for his first big-league opportunity, hitting .280/.372/.576 with 18 homers in 69 games while walking more than he struck out. Scouts peg his contact ability as his carrying tool, and his 12.2 percent strikeout rate this season backs that up, but he should have a fair amount of power as well. The Royals shipped Carlos Santana to the Mariners on Monday, so there should be a full-time role available for Pasquantino the rest of the way as long as he hits well enough to keep it.

Pasquantino was named the International League Player of the Week on Tuesday.

EDGE Analysis

Pasquantino earned the weekly award with force, going 11-for-23 with four home runs, 11 RBI, six runs scored, two doubles and a triple in six games versus Triple-A Louisville. He had been struggling a bit in the batting average department, but a two-week surge has him up to a robust .303/.396/.667 slash line with 15 homers, 51 RBI, 36 runs scored and three stolen bases in 46 games with Omaha this season, his first year at the highest minor-league level.

Pasquantino is hitting .240/.362/.512 with eight homers and a 22:23 BB:K through 35 games for Triple-A Omaha.

EDGE Analysis

It's not a bad batting line, but the batting average certainly has to be considered disappointing for a guy with Pasquantino's contact skills. That said, he's sitting on a .226 BABIP, so he should be able to pull his average up as the season wears on. Right now, it looks like Pasquantino is likely to beat fellow Royals first-base prospect Nick Pratto to the big leagues, though the team seems content to wait for both of them to force their way up.

Pasquantino went 9-for-23 with two homers, two doubles and 2:7 BB:K this spring, producing a .391/.440/.739 batting line. However, he will be starting the season in Triple-A.

EDGE Analysis

Those stats jump off the page, but that's nothing new for Pasquantino, who crushed to the tune of .300/.394/.563 with 24 homers, 84 RBI and six steals in 116 games across High-A and Double-A last year. Most impressively, he put up a brilliant 64:64 BB:K, reflective of his rare bat-to-ball skills. Incumbent first baseman Carlos Santana is in his decline phase and won't be a huge impediment to Pasquantino's progress to the major-league level, but fellow prospects Nick Pratto and MJ Melendez might be. Either way, if he rakes in Triple-A the way he has everywhere else so far, it's going to be impossible to keep him down for too long.