Vaughn of the Dead
Andrew Vaughn (MIL): 3-5, HR, 3 R, 3 RBI, BB.
Andrew Vaughn continued to mash last night with his 11th homer of the season, but his sixth since he joined the Milwaukee Brewers. Since his debut with the Brew Crew on July 7th, those six homers are tied for 15th in the league, alongside a league-leading 24 RBI and a 231 wRC+ (3rd). While we have to be careful with a small sample size, this isn’t simply the same-old Vaughn in a new ballpark.
Can you spot the trade below? Vaughn of the Dead quite literally flatlined before rising from the grave/White Sox.
Vaughn’s average exit velocity has gone up to 94.4 mph (+2.9 mph from Chicago), his barrel rate has gone up to 18.0% (+4.7%), and his hard-hit rate has gone up to 58.0% (+9.7%). Even if there is some regression there, that is a significant improvement on an already solid power-hitting profile. The Brewers clearly got something to click with Vaughn in Triple-A, as the former third overall pick’s approach has changed too, with a new chase rate of 23.1% (a 13.0% improvement!).
The Brewers have treated Vaughn as a core piece of their lineup, so whether you’re looking to bolster your offense for a playoff run or working on your rebuild, any team should be checking in on the still-only-27-year-old Vaughn right now.
Let’s see how the other hitters did Friday:
Javier Sanoja (MIA): 3-5, 2 HR, 3 R, 3 RBI.
The trade deadline brings with it new names and new opportunities. While the Miami Marlins surprised many by only making two trades, shipping out Jesus Sanchez has created a void in their outfield and opened the door for Javier Sanoja. Last night’s pair of dingers isn’t necessarily indicative of his skillset, though, since he hit a career-high seven home runs between Double-A and Triple-A last season. Sanoja’s trademarks in the minors have been his above-average speed and glove, coupled with a low strikeout rate, which has translated to the majors so far with three stolen bases, a +2 OAA (84th percentile), and a 14.0% strikeout rate.
Sanoja would have to outplay Jakob Marsee to hold down an everyday role at center field, but given that he’s played every position this season except catcher and right field, he could work his way into the lineup regularly as a Willi Castro-esque utility bat.
Warming Bernabel (COL): 4-6, 3B, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI.
Another young bat who has capitalized on the trade deadline action, Warming Bernabel may not have taken over for Ryan McMahon at the hot corner yet, but he has quickly taken McMahon’s spot in the heart of the lineup. Bernabel’s red-hot debut continued as he’s now gone 11-for-25 with three homers and seven RBI in six major league games. And last night was only his first game in Coors Field.
Just don’t get too carried away here and spend all your FAAB in one place. His .542 ISO, .421 BABIP, and 150 Pitch Runs value are certainly not sustainable marks.
Anthony Volpe (NYY): 4-5, 2B, HR, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2 SB.
One of the few players on this list not significantly impacted by the trade deadline, Anthony Volpe has been absolutely on fire in the second half so far. In 14 games, his seven home runs have almost surpassed the 10 he hit in the first half already! #17 was an absolute bomb last night at 110.1 mph and 421 feet, and is a part of a real power surge going on for Volpe here. Since the start of the second half, Volpe’s average exit velocity has jumped up to 93.7 mph (+4.6 mph since the first half). Volpe truthers have been waiting to see if he could tap into the 60-grade power that was teased in his prospect days. That day may have finally arrived.
If this column had a big red button that said “BUY”, I’d be pressing it repeatedly here.
Will Benson (CIN): 2-3, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, SB.
I’m more skeptical of Will Benson than I usually am of players who make the cut for a Batter’s Box, but yesterday’s “Combo Meal” deserves recognition. Benson barreled a 102.1 mph home run in the seventh inning yesterday that gave the Cincinnati Reds a 3-0 lead they would ultimately hold on to. The 2025 campaign has been good to Benson as he currently holds career highs with a 93.3 mph average exit velocity, 14.5% barrel rate, and 55.7% hard-hit rate this season, while lowering his strikeout rate to 28.4%.
However, the arrival of Ke’Bryan Hayes in Cincinnati has put Benson’s playing time in jeopardy, as it pushes Noelvi Marte to right field. A crowded outfield plus a cold start to the second half from Benson means he may need to wait for the offseason to find a better fit on another team.
Andrew McCutchen (PIT): 3-5, HR, 3 R, 5 RBI, BB.
Andrew McCutchen has struggled since the All-Star break with only three home runs, a .213/.275/.426 triple slash, and a 92 wRC+ over his last 11 games. So it was great to see this offensive outburst last night. While his home run was just shy of a barrel at 97.1 mph, he followed it up with a 106.4 mph single later in the first inning.
I truly respect the loyalty McCutchen has to the Pittsburgh Pirates. It’s a real shame, though, that yet another year will pass without him in the postseason.
Brandon Lockridge (MIL): 2-6, R, BB, SB.
On Thursday, the Brewers traded Nestor Cortes to the San Diego Padres for Brandon Lockridge, and a day later, Lockridge made his Milwaukee debut with style, picking up his first two hits and a stolen base. Lockridge is a true speedster, clocking in at a 29.9 ft/s sprint speed (99th percentile) and with an above-average glove to boot. The on-base skills are a concern, however, as he’ll need to be closer to the .299 batting average and 13.2% walk rate he’s shown over three seasons of Triple-A action than the .216 batting average and 4.2% walk rate we saw from his cup of coffee with the Padres. Last night was a step in the right direction.
Hopefully, the success of Sal Frelick and Isaac Collins in Milwaukee can be taken as a sign that this organization knows what to do with a profile like Lockridge’s.
Gustavo Campero (LAA): 1-2, HR, R, 2 RBI.
The Los Angeles Angels were another team that had a surprisingly quiet trade deadline; however, an injury to Jorge Soler the week prior opened up an everyday role in right field for the Angels to recall Gustavo Campero. Campero is another speedster with a 29.2 ft/s sprint speed (92nd percentile), and while the glove isn’t as good as Lockridge’s, that may not matter much since there’s less competition for playing time in L.A. In five games since being recalled, Campero has gone 4-for-17, with three steals and one homer.
Yanquiel Fernández (COL): 1-1, HR, R, 2 RBI.
Yanquiel Fernández hit a pinch-hit home run in last night’s 17-16 blowout against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Fernández’s 0.07 walk-to-strikeout ratio, 38.2% chase rate, and 75 DV+ suggest that he may need more seasoning in the minors before we truly see a breakout from him. It’s worth watching how his career progresses because the power here is legitimate. Fernández has already put up 13 home runs and a .284/.347/.502 in Triple-A this season.
