May 8, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Chicago White Sox first baseman Andrew Vaughn (25) hits a double during the fifth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Could Texas Rangers Trade For Newly Released Andrew Vaughn Following Demotion?

Originally posted on Texas Rangers on SI
By Anders Pryor | Last updated May 23, 2025 8:00 PM ET

First baseman Andrew Vaughn, a third overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, has been sent down to Triple-A Charlotte this afternoon. The 27-year-old is batting .189/.218/.314 in 2025. The White Sox will recall Andrew Benintendi and Mike Tauchman from Charlotte. Chicago is also sending Tim Elko to the minors.

There was a time where Andrew Vaughn was viewed as a key offensive cog in the White Sox's future. While he's had flashes of power, he's never been able to string together excellence stretches, or any close to the kind his draft capital commanded.

Vaughn was the No. 14 ranked prospect on the MiLB Top 100 Prospects list in 2021.

Could Vaughn Be A Potential Trade Target For The Rangers?

The Texas Rangers have had issues producing offense at the first base and DH position, with Jake Burger and Joc Pederson being two of the more disappointing free agency signings in 2025. Burger is slashing .221/.260/.404, while Pederson is slashing .134/.270/.244.

Vaughn is a defensive liability at first base - according to Baseball Savant, his Range (Outs Above Average) is in the 14th percentile. Should the Rangers move on from Pederson, Vaughn could slide in perfectly at DH.

If he were to play first for Texas, manager Bruce Bochy could move Burger to DH and let Vaughn work on his defensive skills with reps. The important thing is that he would be in the lineup. Vaughn slashed .246/.297/.402 in 2024 and .258/.314/.429 in 2023. He's shown offensive flashes.

Ideally, Vaughn would not be the primary move for a position player made by the Rangers. The offense is still working through some hurdles, so a proven veteran bat would still be a point of emphasis. But taking a flyer on Vaughn while he is clearly not valued highly by the White Sox organization could be a high-upside move the team needs.

This article first appeared on Texas Rangers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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