High School:  John F. Kennedy
College:  Sacramento City, University of Miami

​* MLB Career:  14 years (Milwaukee, San Diego, Cincinnati, Tampa Bay, Colorado)

​* 4 Time All-Star (1993, 1996, 1998, 2001)

​* Silver Slugger Award (1998)

​* National League Comeback Player of the Year (1998)

​* 355 Home Runs

​* 1,072 RBI​
    

Known as one of the greatest power hitters to come out of Sacramento, Greg Vaughn had a very productive and lengthy career.  Growing up in South Sacramento and going to Kennedy High School, Greg was a two sport star, playing football and baseball.  After graduating from Kennedy, he spurned numerous college and professional offers to stay home and play baseball at Sacramento City College.  The Panthers were a powerhouse and had a long tradition of fielding great teams and developing future major league talent.  After two terrific seasons at Sac City, he accepted a scholarship at the famed University of Miami.  Greg was actually drafted a total of five times during his college days.  After his junior season at Miami, he was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 1st round being the 4th overall pick of the 1986 Amateur Draft.

Breaking into the Major Leagues, Greg was known as a true slugger with the power at the plate that exemplified hitting home runs and driving in runs.  He spent only two seasons in the minors and was the only player to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases during one of those seasons. Once he arrived in Milwaukee he was teamed with fellow Sacramentan’s Chris Bosio and Geoff Jenkins. He had three seasons with at least 100 RBI’s and four with 30 or more home runs.  Greg had his best season in 1998 which coincided with one of the most legendary in the history of the sport.  He hit 50 home runs to finish 4th in the Major Leagues behind Ken Griffey Jr., Sammy Sosa, and Mark McGwire.  

In 1999, he became the only player in major league history to be traded after a 50 HR season when the Padres traded him to the Cincinnati Reds.  In his career he hit 355 HR’s; 1,072 RBI’s; 1,017 runs; 1,475 hits; 284 doubles; 23 triples and 121 stolen bases in 1,731 games.  His greatest memories include hitting two home runs in his first game close to home.  In his first appearance at the Oakland Coliseum he hit his first homer off World Series MVP, Dave Stewart, and the second of off six time All-Star, Dennis Eckersley.  That moment compares only to hitting  two home runs in Game 1 of the 1998 World Series in Yankee Stadium. 

 

The Vaughn family sports  tradition is long heralded.  His cousins include baseball legends Jerry Royster and Mo Vaughn and NFL player Ricky Reynolds. 

 

Greg continues to call Sacramento his home and is very active in the community.  He is a father of three; 2 boys and a girl, and spends most of his time mentoring and coaching future ball players as a coach at Bradshaw Christian High School.  The team now plays on the field named after him as he continues to donate his time and money to the program.  Greg will always be known as one the greatest power hitters from our area and for being one of the many in the long tradition of talented and successful major leaguers to call Sacramento their home.