The Chicago White Sox have several players that aren’t doing that bad despite the fact this team is a perennial loser.
They have several players that have stepped up and played well. Some of these guys include Corey Julks, Tommy Pham, Paul DeJong, and the subject of this post, Andrew Vaughn.
When the season began, Vaughn got off to a slow start. He wasn’t performing anywhere close to where fans, the media, and the management staff thought he could perform. His play was somewhat dismal and it looked like he might have had a bad season.
However, just a few games ago Vaughn started to pick things up and is playing much better than he was to start 2024. He’s hitting the ball consistently and his fielding, which doesn’t get talked about that much, is outstanding. He’s the consummate first baseman for the White Sox.
What has Vaughn done at the plate? According to Baseball-Reference, through the series with the Houston Astros, he has been to the plate 268 times and has a batting average of .239. He has hit the ball 64 times, has 34 RBI and nine home runs. Vaughn has struck out 65 times.
If the White Sox were in contention for the AL Central, Vaughn would be getting hot at just the right time. Perhaps, through the bat of Vaughn, the White Sox will at least get a little better. We have already seen it somewhat in the last few games to where they are close but just cannot quite seal it up at the end. Vaughn has helped get them close.
An interesting thing to think about is whether or not the White Sox would consider using Vaughn as a trade piece as the trade deadline nears. They are likely going to keep him as a cornerstone for them to continue to build a team on and around for the future. You never hear his name mentioned in any trade talks or rumors. He’s not someone that a lot of teams may be interested in but he does have value. That value is to the White Sox.
Vaughn is still young and has a lot left in him. If the White Sox want to build off of young talent, then they need to stick with Vaughn and not let him go. As long as he keeps on improving and showing us what he’s made of, the White Sox will keep him around. But then again, you never know, if they are in the mood to sell, Vaughn could be gone.
One would think that the White Sox would play it smart and keep the first baseman around for a few more years. He’s talented and is one of the organization's best players. If they were to trade Luis Robert, Jr. he would likely be the White Sox best hitter (especially at the rate he is going right now).
Look for Vaughn to be a part of this team for the long term and quite possibly become an all-star before his career ends.