Milwaukee Brewers Slugger Becoming Trade Candidate

The Milwaukee Brewers just swung an intriguing trade this past week, acquiring former top prospect first baseman Andrew Vaughn from the Chicago White Sox for disgruntled starting pitcher Aaron Civale.

The Brew Crew are hoping that Vaughn can recapture the talent that made him the 3rd overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, and if he does, a new big name could become a trade candidate, according to MLB Insider Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

If the Brewers become convinced that newly acquired Andrew Vaughn could return to being an everyday first baseman, veteran Rhys Hoskins could be a valuable chip at the trade deadline.

Hoskins, who missed the entire 2023 season with an ACL tear, returned to the majors last year in Milwaukee and slugged 26 home runs, but only managed to bat .214.

This season, he went on a tear from late April through May that saw his average up to .300 at one point and his OPS over .900. But the month of June has not been pretty for Hoskins as he was batting just .114 with a .530 OPS going into Sunday's games in June.

Overall, though, Hoskins does have 10 long balls and a 113 OPS+, and would make a very appealing trade chip for a contending team looking for power.

Vaughn had been a huge disappointment for the White Sox, ever since entering 2021 as the team's top prospect.

He did show some promise in his first few big league seasons, increasing his home runs and RBIs in each of his first three years. But he topped out in 2023 at 21 HR & 80 RBIs, and has fallen off to the point where he had been sent down to the minors by the lowly Pale Hose after batting .189 through almost 200 plate appearances.

The Brewers are starting him out at Triple-A, but this will be a situation to keep an eye on.