Is Andrew Vaughn the White Sox’ answer at DH?

White Sox general manager Rick Hahn has swung and missed at slotting a capable designated hitter into the lineup three consecutive times.

We’re not talking foul-tip, just-missed-it misses. We’re talking — for a franchise that once penciled in Hall of Famers Harold Baines and Jim Thome into the DH slot — Adam LaRoche, Yonder Alonso and Edwin Encarnacion missing a pitch in the dirt by a foot.

Hahn will get another at-bat this offseason, and making solid contact really matters as he puts the finishing touches on a team that likely will enter the 2021 season as the favorite in the American League Central with legitimate hopes of reaching the World Series.

This time, Hahn might not have to go outside the organization for help. Right-handed-hitting first baseman Andrew Vaughn, the No. 3 pick in the 2019 draft and the Sox’ No. 1 prospect according to FanGraphs (Michael Kopech is No. 2, Nick Madrigal No. 3 and Garrett Crochet No. 4), and his hit-to-all-fields approach might be ready to slide into a lineup that led the AL in home runs, total bases and slugging percentage and was second in runs and OPS in 2020.

Problem is, Vaughn hasn’t faced pitching above high-Class A Winston-Salem, where he played 29 of his modest total of 55 minor-league games in 2019. He looked the part of the Sox’ first baseman of the future at spring training last year and again at the team’s alternate site in Schaumburg after the coronavirus halted camp and canceled the minor-league season. But Vaughn — and prospects everywhere — missed those necessary plate appearances in the development process.

‘‘If Andrew had had daily competition outside of what we were able to do in Schaumburg, it would have been evident to everyone that he was ready for next year, if not sooner,’’ Hahn said after the season. ‘‘That was just sort of a mild casualty of the pandemic. But the skills are there; the tools continue to grow. He’s a remarkable hitter, real solid makeup and a guy we envision being part of this thing in the not-too-distant future.

‘‘The only hesitation is that he didn’t get a chance to play 120 games last year against outside competition.’’

At rookie league, low-Class A Kannapolis and Winston-Salem, Vaughn batted .278/.384/.449 with six homers, 17 doubles and 36 RBI. Those aren’t eye-popping numbers. But while Vaughn doesn’t have elite power, he has enough to hit the ball out of the park. Couple that with his demeanor and advanced approach, and it’s evident why the Sox see him carving a niche.

One AL scout said the 6-foot, 215-pound Vaughn reminds him of former Sox first baseman Paul Konerko ‘‘with a little more athleticism.’’

‘‘His swing has some natural loft to it, so he doesn’t have to try and lift the ball to get it out the park,’’ the scout said. ‘‘Student of the game, hard worker, leader by example, and I’ve heard nothing but good things about his makeup and character.

‘‘The only knock is the mature frame and lack of ceiling. There’s little to no room for physical growth or increase in strength.’’

A lineup with Tim Anderson, Yoan Moncada, Yasmani Grandal, Jose Abreu, Eloy Jimenez, Luis Robert, Adam Eaton and Nick Madrigal doesn’t hinge on the DH being an All-Star-caliber run producer. After all, the Sox’ offense was one of the best in the game with a .148/.238/.350 hitting line coming from that slot in 2020. But it’s one for which there is no excuse not to have plus offensive numbers, and they might not want to push all their chips in on Vaughn as the DH on Opening Day on April 1, two days shy of his 23rd birthday.

The Sox have added only $15 million in salary this offseason with the trade for right-hander Lance Lynn and the signing of Eaton, so they have money left should they decide to allocate it toward a free-agent outfielder (Joc Pederson, Michael Brantley or Kyle Schwarber) who could DH and rotate into left field, with the defensively challenged Jimenez taking at-bats at DH. The market is uncertain and is perhaps weeks away from gaining clarity. It’s not even known yet whether the National League will use the DH again next season.

And the Sox might need only a placeholder for Vaughn for a month or so, if not less.

‘‘On a daily basis, it’s been a bit eye-opening how consistent he is,’’ director of player development Chris Getz said in September of Vaughn’s hitting at Schaumburg. ‘‘He just has a strong understanding of what it takes to put together a professional at-bat.

‘‘His body is always under control for quality decision-making, and he can punish the baseball to all fields, which are ingredients for major-league success.

‘‘His instincts for the game are strong. His willingness to get better on a daily basis is top of the chart. It’s very much an unknown on when his opportunity will come, but I’m confident that when that time comes, he will grab the baton and run. He’s one of those players.’’

White Sox DH production in Rick Hahn GM era

Year (BA/OBP/SLUG) OPS HR RBI Primary DHs

2013 .219/.290/.384 .674 26 83 Adam Dunn

2014 .257/.339/.452 .791 27 84 Dunn, Paul Konerko, Jose Abreu

2015 .239/.301/.383 .684 14 63 Adam LaRoche, Abreu

2016 .249/.317/.394 .711 16 72 Avisail Garcia, Justin Morneau

2017 .227/.285/.393 .680 22 75 Matt Davidson

2018 .221/.304/.421 .725 29 88 Davidson, Daniel Palka

2019 .205/.285/.356 .641 17 75 Yonder Alonso, Abreu

2020 .148/.238/.350 .588 13 25 Edwin Encarnacion