Andrew Vaughn is coming up on a contract year in 2026 and it is vital not only for him to have a breakout season in 2025, but for the Chicago White Sox as well.
Andrew Vaugh was once ranked as the Chicago White Sox number two overall prospect for the organization and the sixteenth overall in all of Major League Baseball at one point. MLB.com grading him as having elite Power (60/80) and Hitting ability (65/80), while being somewhat of an average defender. Now four-years into his Major League career Vaughn has just been an average Major League Baseball Player so far. As a decision on Andrew Vaughn’s contract looms, a breakout season would ease both sides minds on where both Vaughns and the White Sox futures are heading.
Andrew Vaughn
The now 26-year-old Vaughn was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 1st round 3rd overall of the 2019 MLB June Amateur Draft out of the University of California, Berkeley. Vaughn rose through the minor leagues rather quickly making his Major League debut on April 2nd, 2021, where he went 0-3. So far as I said in his career Andrew Vaughn has been a solid baseball player. He isn’t spectacular, but he isn’t the worst player to have on your team, he just shows up and gets the job done.
The one plus that Vaughn has going for him so far in his career is his availability with averaging playing in 140.5 games over the course of his young career. In 2024 for the Chicago White Sox Vaughn played in just shy of 150 games just missing it by one game (149). In those 149 games Vaughn had 140 hits, 30 doubles, 1 triple, 19 HRs, 70 RBI, with a slash line of .246/.297/.402 with an OPS and OPS+ of .699 and 99.
The only good spot on his Baseball Savant page is that he ranked in the 79th percentile for squared-up percentage meaning he is putting the sweet spot of the bat on the ball at a good clip and drive it to all fields.
Currently Vaughn is in the second year of his arbitration status with 2026 marking his last year in arbitration before becoming an unrestricted free agency. Vaughn was issued a one-year $4.4 million contract for this season according to Spotrac.
Currently Vaughn is the White Sox only option in the entire organization that their natural position is first base. If the White Sox needed depth at the position, they would either have to out and make a trade or move someone internally over to play there. Miguel Vargas has shown that he can play the cold corner, but he currently vying for the starting third base job and he so far, he hasn’t show he can hit at the Major league level.
Thinking of Extending or Trading Andrew Vaughn
With Andrew Vaughn fast approaching becoming an unrestricted free agent after the 2026 season, the Chicago White Sox need to seriously start thinking if Vaughn will be a part of their future plans or not. If the answer is the latter than the White Sox need to seriously consider trading Vaughn and hope, he has a good enough season either this year or next and stays healthy as he has been in his career for the White Sox to hopefully get a decent haul back.
If Andrew Vaughn looked more like the player White Sox fans saw in 2022 where he had a slash line of .271/.321/.429 ad had an OPS and OPS+ of .750 and 111, the answer would be simple resign him. So far though Vaughn has just been average and hasn’t lived up to the expectations of being a star.
If the Chicago White Sox were to issue a contract extension to Andrew Vaughn today Spotrac estimates that Vaughns market value would give him a contract at five-years $60.952 million with an average annual value of $12.190 million. Giving Andrew Vaughn that level of contract which would put him making the same amount as players such as Josh Bell now on the Washington Nationals and Jake Cronenworth of the San Diego Padres. In order for the White Sox to give Andrew Vaughn that type of contract he would have to be at the same level of play if not slightly better than his 2022 season.
This is why it is so crucial not only for Andrew Vaughn to have a breakout season in 2025 to insure he gets paid handsomely when its time, but also for the White Sox to see if he is worth extending and making him be a part of the future success of this franchise.
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