The Chicago White Sox selected first baseman Andrew Vaughn from the University of California with their first pick (third overall) in tonight’s Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.

Vaughn, a 21-year-old junior, batted .381 (67-176) with 14 doubles, 15 home runs, 50 RBI, 49 runs scored, 59 walks, a .544 on-base percentage, .716 slugging percentage and 1.260 OPS in 52 games for No. 24 California this season. Vaughn, who is rated by Baseball America and MLBPipeline.com as the No. 3 prospect in the draft, finished the regular season ranked among Division I leaders in on-base percentage (3rd, .549), walks (T8th, 58) and slugging percentage (14th, .728).

"We are thrilled to add a player of Andrew’s caliber to the organization," said Nick Hostetler, White Sox director of amateur scouting. "He’s a premium bat who has shown the ability to hit at every level. Andrew is considered one of the top offensive talents in this season’s draft, and we can’t wait to see him grow at the professional level.”

The 6-foot, 215-pound Vaughn, who bats right-handed, is a finalist for the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award and was the 2018 Golden Spikes recipient, becoming the 17th athlete since the award started in 1978 to be named a finalist twice and first since Vanderbilt pitcher David Price in 2006-07. He has been named to the Pac-12 All-Conference team and is a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Award this season.

Vaughn was named Pac-12 Player of the Year in 2018 after hitting .402 (80-199) with 14 doubles, a program-record tying 23 homers, 63 RBI, 44 walks and 59 runs scored in 54 games with the Golden Bears. He finished fourth in the nation with a .531 on-base percentage and set a school single-season record with a .819 slugging percentage.

Vaughn owns a .376 (223-593) average with 35 doubles, one triple, 50 homers, 163 RBI, 144 runs scored, 122 walks and seven steals in 160 games over three seasons with California. He currently is tied for second on the Golden Bears all-time home run list and ranks fourth on their all-time RBI list.

Vaughn, a Santa Rosa, Calif. native, joins infielder Nick Madrigal (2018, fourth overall), third baseman Jake Burger (2017, 11th), catcher Zack Collins (2016, 10th), right-handed pitchers Zack Burdi (2016, 26th) and Carson Fulmer (2015, eighth), left-hander Carlos Rodón (2014, third) and infielder Tim Anderson (2013, 17th) as the White Sox most recent first-round selections.

Vaughn was recommended by White Sox scout Adam Virchis.

The White Sox next pick is during tonight’s second round (45th overall).