Red Sox Slugger Caught Watchful Eye Of ‘Hit Dog’ Mo Vaughn

Mo Vaughn knows the expectations that come with being a slugging first baseman for the Boston Red Sox.

Triston Casas is now in that position.

Casas put together a promising rookie season and especially caught eyes after the All-Star break when he batted .317 with 15 home runs and 38 RBIs to finish third in American League Rookie of the Year voting. Vaughn was among those impressed by the 24-year-old last season.

"Good player and he has some pop," Vaughn told The Boston Globe's Pete Abraham. "I've watched him. He knows what he's doing. Now he has to take the next step and become elite."

If Casas is on the same path as Vaughn, it means he'll become a dominant force in Boston's lineup for the years to come.

After a modest beginning to his career, Vaughn exploded in his second full season with the Red Sox, recording 29 homers and 101 RBIs. That was the jumping off point to Vaughn making three All-Star appearances with the Red Sox over eight seasons and winning AL MVP honors in 1995 when he clubbed 39 homers and collected 126 RBIs.

The Red Sox certainly would take the same sort of trajectory for Casas. The hard-hitting left-handed hitter is off to slow a start this season, but it has only been two games, so there's no need to push any sort of panic button. Casas is 1-for-9 to start the campaign.

But the Red Sox clearly believe in Casas' ability, batting him cleanup in Boston's season-opening win.

Even though Casas and the Red Sox have yet to come to an agreement on a contract extension, Casas has made it known he wants to be Boston's first baseman not only for the present but for the future, too.

And if he can live up to his potential, he might just surpass what Vaughn did in a Red Sox uniform.