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Milwaukee Brewers: MLB Analyst and Former Cubs 3B Optimistic About Andrew Vaughn Turnaround Post-Trade 2 Milwaukee Brewers right fielder Sal Frelick (10) celebrates Milwaukee Brewers first base Jake Bauers (9) homer (1) on a fly ball to right field during the seventh inning of Game 3 of National League wild-card series against the New York Mets on Thursday October 3, 2024 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wis.

Milwaukee Brewers: MLB Analyst and Former Cubs 3B Optimistic About Andrew Vaughn Turnaround Post-Trade

Originally posted on WI Sports Heroics | By John Sbisa | Last updated Jun 14, 2025 10:32 AM ET

The Milwaukee Brewers wasted no time finding Aaron Civale a new home after the disgruntled pitcher demanded a trade following his move to the bullpen. The player they got in return, White Sox first baseman Andrew Vaughn, has had a tough time in 2025. The fifth-year veteran has struggled so mightily, in fact, that he earned a minor league demotion on the American League’s worst team. In spite of all that, MLB analyst Mark DeRosa believes he could recover his stroke in Milwaukee.

Milwaukee Brewers Get Erstwhile Capable Bat Mired in Miserable Season

Before his demotion, Vaughn was batting .189 with five homeruns and 19 RBIs in 189 at bats, mustering a .531 OPS and an MLB-worst -1.6 Wins Above Replacement.

Defense has always been a problem, limiting his value, but at the plate, Vaughn had been a solid contributor for the Sox in his first four seasons. From 2021-2024, he hit at least 15 homers every year. Each of the past three seasons, he drove in 70-plus runs.

Milwaukee Brewers: MLB Analyst and Former Cubs 3B Optimistic About Andrew Vaughn Turnaround Post-Trade 1 Apr 9, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Rhys Hoskins (12) in the second inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

What happened?

“Obviously something’s a little aloof with his swing,” DeRosa said on MLB Central. “But this was a no. 3 overall pick in 2019. You don’t get picked third overall and be one of the best college bats at Cal and there’s not some upside still. So the Brewers are betting on they can fix his swing and potentially get him back in the lineup, and kind of give Rhys Hoskins some DH. Maybe that’s what they want to do. I don’t know. But if I’m Andrew Vaughn, I can’t get to the airport quick enough.”

What Will Vaughn’s Role Be in Milwaukee?

It’s not like the Brewers gave up much to get him, but certainly it would be nice to see Vaughn re-emerge as a major league-caliber hitter. Maybe a change of scenery and new staff of hitting coaches will help him find his swing.

Right now, there isn’t much of an avenue for playing time. The most logical approach would be to send Vaughn down to Triple-A Nashville to try and get right until a roster spot opens up.

By acquiring him, the Brewers opened the door to a Jake Bauers trade, a career .210 hitter who arrived in Milwaukee in 2024. This season, he has been solid in a reserve role (five dingers, .762 OPS in 96 at bats), so maybe they could get a useful prospect or back-end relief pitcher in return.

Defensively, plugging Vaughn in at first doesn’t make a lot of sense, as Hoskins, though below average, has graded out better in 2025 than Vaughn has over the past two seasons. Moving Hoskins to DH would also mean resting Christian Yelich, the usual designated hitter, or playing him in the outfield, where he is a liability and an injury risk. The Brewers need his bat healthy.

At most, other than in case of injury, Vaughn would likely see spot starts at first or DH on rest days for Hoskins or Yelich – assuming Bauers isn’t there to fill that role.

This article first appeared on WI Sports Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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