Vaughn thrives while playing multiple positions for White Sox

A first baseman when he was drafted by the White Sox with the No. 3 overall pick in 2019, Andrew Vaughn is now wearing multiple gloves.

In Thursday night's game against the Royals, he made his second start in right field.

Vaughn has also played 83 games in left, 10 at first and 1 game each at second and third base.

That's asking quite a bit from a rookie who spent last season at the Sox's alternate training site in Schaumburg, but Vaughn has made very few blunders while bouncing around on defense.

"It's pretty humbling coming from (manager) Tony (La Russa), who's been around this game for such a long time, that he's comfortable putting me at different positions," Vaughn said. "Just be a baseball player every day."

In spring training, Vaughn was positioned to break camp as the White Sox's designated hitter.

Everything changed when Eloy Jimenez went down with a serious injury late in Cactus League play, so Vaughn became the regular in left field.

With Jimenez back on the active roster, Vaughn is a definite candidate to get time at DH. Jimenez is not a fan of the role, but Vaughn just wants to be in the lineup.

"I think the biggest thing would be just, I talked with (Jim) Thome in spring training about DHing a lot, you've got to be locked in, you've got to keep your body moving, be stretched out, be ready to hit," Vaughn said. "It's different because you're not on the field moving around and you've just got to stay in that mindset."

Playing so many different positions can take an offensive toll on proven veterans. Vaughn's bat has remained steady, and the 6-foot, 215-pounder was hitting .405/.468/.643 over his last 13 games heading into Thursday's play.

"It's just going back to it is really day by day," Vaughn said. "It's even more simplified than that, it's pitch by pitch. You've got to take every one serious and every at-bat serious and I think that allows for good things to happen if you're locked in and focused."