Trusted projection model bearish on returning Brewers slugger in 2026

Division Series - Chicago Cubs v Milwaukee Brewers - Game 2 | Mary DeCicco/GettyImagesAfter watching Andrew Vaughn crush baseballs in a Milwaukee Brewers uniform during the second half of last season, not many fans are expecting him to revert back to the struggling player he was with the Chicago White Sox prior to his arrival in the Cream City. But if you believe the numbers instead of the vibes, that’s exactly what one of the most respected projection systems in baseball thinks might happen.

ZiPS, the trusted projection model from FanGraphs, curated by the brilliant Dan Szymborski, is surprisingly cold on Vaughn’s chances of running it back in 2026. After his breakout in Milwaukee, the…