Vaughn is expected to make the White Sox's Opening Day roster and should begin the season as the team's primary designated hitter, barring an injury late in spring training, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

EDGE Analysis

Vaughn has yet to make his MLB debut and is unlikely to work out a long-term contract extension before Opening Day that would allow the organization to buy out his arbitration years, but Chicago apparently won't play service-time games with its top hitting prospect. Despite having yet to play above the High-A level since being drafted in the first round of the 2019 first-year player draft, Vaughn more than held his own in summer camp last season and during spring training this year, which has convinced the White Sox he's ready for look in the big leagues. Through 20 Cactus League games to date, Vaughn has slashed .289/.396/.489 with two home runs, a stolen base and a 7:9 BB:K. Vaughn has typically occupied a bottom-three spot in the batting order when the White Sox have used lineups consisting mostly of regulars, but the top-to-bottom strength of the starting nine should make a lower placement less punitive for the 22-year-old in terms of run-producing and run-scoring opportunities than if he were on another team.