Andrew Vaughn

Vaughn put up one of the best offensive seasons in Cal history in 2018, hitting .402/.531/.819 with 23 home runs (tying a single-season school record previously set by Xavier Nady in 1999) to win the 2018 Golden Spikes Award. That campaign proved Vaughn had arguably the best combination of hit and power tools of any prospect in the 2019 draft class. And while Vaughn had a quiet summer with USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team in 2018, hitting just .224/.316/.367 in 10 games, he still has an excellent wood bat track record, as evidenced by his .308/.368/.654 slash line in the Cape Cod League last summer. Vaughn has an idyllic righthanded swing with the requisite bat speed and strength needed to allow scouts to peg him as a plus hitter with 80-grade raw power. He takes a professional approach to batting practice and works the ball to all fields before games, rather than simply pulling the ball and trying to hit home runs as often as possible. In games, however, Vaughn has no issues going over the fence to the right-center field gap or turning on pitches inside with easy impact. In addition to his feel for the barrel and ability to hit with authority, Vaughn has an uncanny understanding of the strike zone. His batting eye rivals any player in the country, and as a sophomore he walked 44 times compared to just 18 strikeouts. He has continued to walk at an impressive rate in 2019, and he’s still walking more than he’s striking out, although his strikeout rate is up as well. Still, Vaughn’s advanced feel to hit, power and plate discipline should allow him to become an impact hitter in the middle of a major league lineup, while also allowing him to rise through the minors quickly. Standing at 6 feet, 214 pounds and being a righthanded hitter and thrower, Vaughn doesn’t have the typical profile of a top-five pick. In fact, only four right-right first baseman under 6 feet tall have played more than 20 games in the majors since the integration era began in 1947. In spite of that, Vaughn’s bat is special enough to give him a chance to become the highest-drafted college first baseman since 1996, when the Twins took San Diego State first baseman Travis Lee with the No. 2 overall pick. Teams might be critical of Vaughn’s defense because he is undersized for the position, but he moves well and has solid hands. While he’s unlikely to ever be a Gold Glove defender, he should be more than capable of handling the position and making all the routine plays.