Even before the unfortunate injury to Eloy Jimenez that’s going to knock him out for five to six months, (don’t try and rob spring training homers, folks!) there was some talk that White Sox top prospect Andrew Vaughn was going to break camp with the team and occupy their vacant DH spot. The big loss of Eloy has thrown those plans for a bit of a loop as Vaughn has now began working out in the outfield — a position he’s never played before — a week before they open the season. The expectations on the defensive side of the ball will be kept at a minimum, but Vaughn in left and Zack Collins at DH is seemingly Plan A for how the White Sox will attempt to replace one of the best young power hitters in the game.
The White Sox selected Andrew Vaughn with the third pick in the 2019 draft, after the Orioles and Royals selected Adley Rutschman and Bobby Witt Jr. first and second overall. Vaughn left Cal as one of the top hitters in the history of the NCAA, hitting .376/.497/.691 during his three year career and an absolutely historic sophomore season, hitting .402/.531/.819 with 23 homers on his way to capturing the Golden Spikes Award as the national player of the year. Prospects Live co-founder Ralph Lifshitz wrote the scouting report used below.
THE RANKINGS
Andrew Vaughn ranks first on our Chicago White Sox 2021 Prospect Rankings and 8th on our Top 500 Dynasty Prospects list.
THE TOOLS
Hit (60): Easy plus hit tool as Vaughn possesses all of the characteristics we look for in a hitter. He has plus bat to ball skills, displaying the ability to make contact with a variety of pitches across several looks. The data in pro-ball backs this up, as his 84% contact rate in class-A advanced sticks out. He has elite on-base skills, working deep into counts, spoiling junk on the edges and working himself into hitters counts as he hunts for pitches to drive. Which brings me to my final element, Vaughn's quality of contact. His innate strength and elite bat speed allow him to consistently barrel up the baseball. He hits for a high rate of flyball and line drive contact and his max exit velocities sit in the 115+ range. Near double plus hit tool, but needs to see the challenge of the upper minors to get there.
Power (70): Vaughn has a long track record of high end power production throughout his collegiate career. He hit for results with wood on the Cape and is one of the most prestigious power hitters in Division-I history. Out of the draft Vaughn did not show the elite power he had at Cal, but the data backs up the elite power grade. With max exit velocities sitting 115+ mph with an average launch angle of 12 degrees. Vaughn makes consistent contact and due to his elite bat speed, and powerful hands he can drive balls with ease. There are few players outside of Spencer Torkelson or Tristan Casas with the level of power Vaughn packs.
Field (40): Below average fielder limited to first base, likely capable of fringe average defense everyday at first. Good hands and infield actions, limited range and ability to move around the bag. Not a determinant in the field but limited in terms of upside there. Might get to average with work. For now a below average defender. As far as the outfield goes, Vaughn has no experience in the grass and won’t cover much ground. Look for the centerfielder to shade towards right field and Vaughn losing late playing time due to defensive replacements as well.
Arm (45): Good arm for a first baseman, he’s a former shortstop and his arm still has some carry left. Not capable of playing anywhere else so the discussion of how his arm fits elsewhere is moot. In left field his arm essentially doesn’t matter, but hitters will take the extra base on him while he’s out in left field.
Speed (30): Poor base runner that's essentially station to station. Lacks some feel at times on the bases and will be caught flat-footed. Lack of foot speed will be an issue in the outfield.
Conclusion: Andrew Vaughn will make his White Sox debut just shy of his 23rd birthday and his combination of approach, contact ability, and power makes him one of the top pure hitters that has yet to make their MLB debut. 2019 was his first season in pro ball and he hit .278/.384/.449, and he drew rave reviews in 2020 at the alternate site in Schaumburg and has turned even more heads with his performance this spring. From a fantasy perspective he needs to be rostered in every league where he’s an option due to his hit and power skills, as well as his spot in one of what should be the best offenses in baseball in 2021. Vaughn is a perennial all-star that should fit in and soon become a key part of that White Sox young core.
Fantasy Impact
12-team leagues - Vaughn isn’t quite a must start in 12-team leagues and their shallower counterparts. Usually rookies need to really hit the ground running to be worth rostering in these shallow leagues. But I know that hype precedes logical thinking so we recommend rostering and seeing if he starts lighting it up immediately.
15-team leagues - Vaughn might’ve been snagged at the tail end of your draft recently, and almost certainly so after the Sox announced he’d break camp. With Eloy Jimenez’s injury, they’re toying with the idea of having him play some left field. For real life, that’s, er, not ideal. But for fantasy, it opens up new positional flexibility to a batting profile that was already strong to begin with. Vaughn is a must start in this format and will be an impact bat in OBP, HR, RBI.
Dynasty league - If you roster Vaughn, rejoice. If you roster Vaughn in an OBP/OPS league, rejoice harder.