Greg Vaughn


Gregory Lamont Vaughn is a former Major League Baseball left fielder who played for the Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres, Cincinnati Reds, Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Colorado Rockies. He was born in Sacramento, California, where he attended Kennedy High School. He then played baseball at the University of Miami. He is the cousin of fellow former Major Leaguers Mo Vaughn and Jerry Royster.

Career

Amateur

In 1984 and 1985, Vaughn played collegiate summer baseball for the Cotuit Kettleers of the Cape Cod Baseball League. He led the Kettleers to league titles in both seasons, and was league MVP in 1985. Vaughn was inducted into the CCBL Hall of Fame in 2009.

Professional

Vaughn was selected by the Brewers in the first round of the 1986 amateur draft. A slugger whose batting average dropped below.250 as often as rising above it, he compensated with excellent power. He had three seasons with at least 100 runs batted in, and four with 30 or more home runs – including the season, when he hit 50 to finish 4th in the major leagues behind Ken Griffey, Jr., Sammy Sosa, and Mark McGwire, who set the home run record that season. In 1999, he became the first player in major league history to be traded after a 50-homer season when the Padres traded him to the Cincinnati Reds. Vaughn's arrival in Cincinnati caused a bit of a controversy with club ownership and their no facial hair policy. Vaughn styled a goatee that he really didn't want to remove. Fans urged owner Marge Schott to lift the long-standing policy that had been in place since 1967 which she eventually did. On the field, he hit 45 homers and became the second player in major league history to hit 40 or more homers in consecutive seasons with two different teams.
Throughout his career, Vaughn batted.242 with 355 home runs, 1072 RBI, 1017 runs, 1475 hits, 284 doubles, 23 triples and 121 stolen bases in 1731 games.
Vaughn became eligible for the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2009. 75% of the vote was necessary for induction, and 5% was necessary to stay on the ballot. He received no votes and dropped off the ballot.

Personal life

His son, Cory Vaughn, played minor league baseball in the New York Mets organization.