Andrew Vaughn, Do You Think You Can Pull This Off?

We, the few dedicated fans who still follow the Chicago White Sox, can collectively express our dismay at their lackluster offense. One player, in particular, is a source of shared frustration and is currently one of the worst hitters in baseball. That player is Andrew Vaughn, the former heir apparent to the White Sox' first base throne, Golden Spikes winner, and third overall draft pick.

Over the years, many narratives have produced excuses for Vaughn's lackluster plate production. Whether he "needed more time" or was playing out of position in the outfield, anyone who buys into those things can put them to bed. After nearly a season and a half at first base and over 1,800 plate appearances, he is who he is as a player.

To make matters worse, he was one of the worst defensive first basemen in baseball last year and one of the worst baserunners in the game .

In other words, Vaughn is a bat-only player who, before this year, had an average bat. All this is to say that he's barely an everyday MLB player whose time in a White Sox uniform will likely end soon .

From Worst to Maybe Average

Nevertheless, hope still exists that Andrew Vaughn can return to form. And by that, I mean him reverting to an average hitter instead of an awful one. I had a look at a recent post on X from Mike Petriello about Alec Bohm that inspired what you're about to read.

The Philadelphia Phillies selected the third baseman third overall — one pick before the White Sox drafted Nick Madrigal — in 2018. By the way, what's he up to these days?

Petriello's post listed Bohm's directional batted ball profile and accompanying exit velocity. As a result of focusing more on pulling the baseball, Bohm, in his fifth year, is having a breakout season .

Driving the baseball to left field with respectable exit velocity is something Vaughn did more consistently last season. As a result, he belted 21 homers, 30 doubles, and slugged .429.

This season, as outlined below, his focus has been hitting up the middle, and he's done so at nearly a 48% clip.

And I can't state this enough: the results have been dreadful .

What's On Tap Next?

Whatever the impetus for this year's change, Andrew Vaughn must consider swinging pull side. While that can't be the case in every at-bat as pitchers will attack differently, the White Sox' first baseman must find a way to adjust. While Vaughn won't become an All-Star slugger, he can return to some semblance of respectability.

I'm not a swing coach, but the current batted ball profile numbers don't lie, and they're horrendous. It's a disaster for the White Sox' historically awful offense and the 26-year-old's future in professional baseball.

If I may add to Sox' hitting coach Marcus Thames's sage-like advice, Vaughn should swing at good pitches and pull them to left field.

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