The talented young hitter played out of position again in 2022. Andrew Vaughn was part of a roster log jam with Gavin Sheets, Eloy Jimenez, and Jose Abreu. With so many DH/1B types, Chicago was forced to play Vaughn in left and right field. Now that Jose Abreu has departed for Houston, Vaughn can play his natural position at first base. Hopefully, moving Vaughn to a less strenuous position will lead to better production at the plate. Vaughn stagnated considerably in the second half of 2022 and playing out of position is widely believed to be the culprit.
Andrew Vaughn led the White Sox in home runs in 2022. That is not exactly a compliment as Chicago struggled with the long ball. The team did not have one hitter hit 20 homers. Vaughn managed to belt 17 home runs and drive in 76 runs. The former Golden Spikes award winner made 130 starts in 2022, but was periodically held out of the lineup to rest his legs.
The leg issues persisted for most of the second half and his production suffered as a result. The Sox 2023 first baseman watched his OPS drop by over 150 points in the second half from his first half, when he recorded a .819 mark. Chicago hopes that moving Vaughn to his regular position will alleviate those leg issues and boost his production at the plate in 2023.
It is tough to criticize Vaughn’s play in the outfield because he was out of position. He was, however, amongst the worst in the league in terms of OAA. He contributed a total of -17 outs above average between right field and left field. In other words, he was one of the worst defensive outfielders in MLB, respectfully.
It goes without saying at this point but Vaughn is expected to replace Jose Abreu at first base. Abreu, the newly minted Houston Astro, contributed a 4.1 oWAR in 2022 vs Vaughn’s 1.7. Vaughn has a lot of ground to make up in production and the expectations are sky-high. Chicago's history at first base is a rich one and the former first-round pick will need a better season to continue the tradition.
Final Grade: D+
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