Is It Legit? Andrew Vaughn's Milwaukee Resurgence

In 2019, the White Sox selected Andrew Vaughn third overall in the MLB Draft out of California. After putting up negative WAR in his first two seasons, Vaughn took a small step forward in 2023, hitting 21 home runs and posting a .743 OPS. The 2024 season saw Vaughn go back to a negative WAR status before things went even further south in 2025. Prior to being demoted in May, Vaughn was slashing .189/.218/.314.

Vaughn spent time in Triple-A with the White Sox before being traded to the Brewers as part of a deal for Aaron Civale. He even spent over three weeks with the Brewers Triple-A squad before finally getting the call to join Milwaukee.

The rest was history as Vaughn posted a 142 wRC+ the rest of the way and was quite successful. Is it legit?

Check out our latest article on CJ Abrams:

Andrew Vaughn Breakdown: Was the Brewers’ Success Sustainable?

The Numbers: Andrew Vaughn Edition

Despite the horrific start to the season, Vaughn put up career-best numbers in many categories. The wRC+ jumped from 43 to 142 with Milwaukee. The slash from .189/.218/.314 to .308/.375/.493. What changed that led to the results?

After striking out 22.3 percent of the time with the White Sox, Vaughn cut it down to 14.6 percent with the Brewers. The walk rate also soared from 3.6 percent to 9.4 percent. If the numbers with the Brewers were maintained over the course of a full season, both would have been career best marks.

It is interesting that Vaughn hit nine home runs with Milwaukee, but they all came in a short period of time. In fact, Vaughn did not homer after August 15, ending the year on a 134 plate appearance home run drought. He still put up respectable numbers to end the year, but there was less fantasy relevance.

Checkin’ Under the Hood: Andrew Vaughn

Looking at season-long numbers, Vaughn posted a career-best 12 percent barrel rate with a 91.6 mph average exit velocity, also a career-best. Those marks ranked in the 75th and 84th percentiles, respectively. The best asset of Vaughn’s batted ball data came from the new bat tracking data. His 32 percent squared up rate was 92nd percentile and made up for his 27th percentile bat speed.

The interesting thing is, Vaughn’s hard-hit data is nearly identical from his time with White Sox and Brewers. So, what did change? The most notable thing is the drop in chase rate while maintaining his zone-swing rate. From his time in Chicago to Milwaukee, the chase rate dropped from 36 percent to 24.6 percent.

From a contact perspective, Vaughn stayed consistent, posting a zone-contact rate north of 88 percent at both stops. The overall contact rate ticked up slightly in Milwaukee, but nothing overly noticeable. The higher batting average was largely due to launch angles and a five percentage point jump in line drives in Milwaukee.

Looking at the bat tracking metrics, not a ton changed, but Vaughn did see a one mph increase in bat speed with the Brewers. The swing was slightly shorter, and Vaughn slightly increased his swing path tilt.

Andrew Vaughn 2025 Verdict and Future Outlook

Who is Andrew Vaughn? Several different stretches throughout the year defined his season, but one thing is clear. He was a different hitter in Milwaukee. One thing to keep an eye out for this offseason is the moves the Brewers make. Vaughn is expected to make $7.5 million in arbitration this offseason, which would make him the fourth most expensive player on the roster as things stand. Do they try to sell high?

I think the most likely outcome is that Vaughn returns as the team's first baseman in 2026. Does the lowered chase rate stick? It is possible, and if so, the higher OBP will be an asset in multiple fantasy categories.

If you look at Vaughn, I think a reasonable outcome would be a slightly better 2023 season in which Vaughn hit 21 home runs and slashed .258/.314/.429. If the chase rate stays in the mid-to-upper 20 percent range, where it was in Milwaukee, the OBP could increase.

The value is still pretty suppressed on Vaughn, making him a reasonable target. In 28 NFBC drafts to this point, Vaughn has an ADP of 356, making him a solid CI target. The same can be said for dynasty value. Vaughn likely is not a stud, but the subtle tweaks the Brewers made worked, and it is not crazy to say a full offseason in their organization could unlock something more.