Kansas City, MO — With the 2025 MLB trade deadline approaching, the Kansas City Royals are expected to explore all potential avenues for roster upgrades, including trade talks with division rivals. Among those rivals, the Chicago White Sox stand as the only clear sellers in the AL Central amid another historically poor season.

Given the lack of high-value assets on the White Sox roster, any offensive acquisition by the Royals would likely be a high-upside gamble. One such name floated as a potential low-risk target is 27-year-old first baseman Andrew Vaughn.

In a recent column, Matt Chabot of Royals Review suggested Kansas City could consider acquiring Vaughn, writing, “Andrew Vaughn is a primary first baseman who has also played some corner outfield and has had flashes at the plate in the past. If the Royals think they can get something out of him, he may be worth a shot at the deadline.”

Vaughn, once the third overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft—just after the Royals selected Bobby Witt Jr.—is enduring a disastrous 2025 campaign. He posted a .189/.218/.314 slash line and a -1.6 bWAR before being demoted to Triple-A. Despite the steep decline, Vaughn has shown glimpses of potential in past seasons and carried a positive OPS+ through 2024.

Former big-leaguer Josh Harrison, who played alongside Vaughn in Chicago, once expressed confidence in the first baseman’s future, calling him a special talent during a 2022 encounter in San Francisco. Though Vaughn’s promise has dimmed, some believe it could be rekindled in the right environment.

Kansas City, however, may not be ideally suited to maximize Vaughn’s potential due to coaching limitations or roster constraints. Still, given his plummeted trade value, a low-cost acquisition could make sense for a Royals team seeking depth without major risk.