Tony La Russa had heard nothing but rave reviews concerning White Sox rookie Andrew Vaughn before he took over as manager.

After watching Vaughn in action for one month during this current Spring Training, La Russa understands the compliments thrown in the direction of the No. 1 White Sox prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and the team’s potential designated hitter.

“They all raved about him and now I’m raving about him,” said La Russa during a Saturday Zoom. “He’s an advanced hitter for this point in his career.

“I know he’s never played higher than whatever it is, but boy he takes great at-bats, makes great adjustments. He has a bad at-bat, he’s ready for the next one. He’s got all the qualities. He’s still in serious competition for a spot on the team.”

Vaughn, 22, has not played above Class A Advanced with Winston-Salem in the Carolina League and has just 245 Minor League plate appearances. He also did not have the benefit of any sort of ’20 season, instead working at the Schaumburg, Ill., alternate training site.

But in watching Vaughn’s advanced approach at the plate, he looks ready for the big league challenge. Vaughn launched a 429-foot home run on Thursday and has an .887 OPS in 17 games.

“You just have to go out there every day and play your game, be ready for every pitch, every pitch on defense and go about your business,” Vaughn said. “Seeing pitches is the most important thing, getting my timing back. Just getting that approach fine-tuned and ready to go.

“I feel comfortable at the plate. I’m seeing the ball well and it’s just a challenge every time you go up there. It’s you versus the pitcher and you have to try to get your job done.”

White Sox hitting coach Frank Menechino, assistant hitting coach Howie Clark and coach Andy Barkett have been working with Vaughn. But he also has benefitted from tutelage by Jim Thome, the Hall of Famer and assistant to the general manager with the team, who had quite a bit of career success at DH.

“He’s a very awesome man,” said Vaughn of Thome. “And so knowledgeable about the game and drills he likes to do. We were working on a drill that he liked when he was with the Indians. Just the way he goes about it, it lifts you up, gives you that positive energy that is pretty special.”

“He does things that really good hitters do,” said La Russa of Vaughn. “He can handle different pitches, he really competes, never throws an at-bat away, uses the whole field and he’s got thump.”

Engel exits

Outfielder Adam Engel, who knocked out five extra-base hits during Thursday’s and Friday’s games, exited in the top of the eighth inning of Saturdays’ 6-2 White Sox victory over Cleveland with a strained right hamstring. Engel replaced Eloy Jiménez in the seventh and made a running catch on Bradley Zimmer’s eventual sacrifice fly to center in the eighth.

Engel threw home before falling to the ground and staying down for a few seconds. He limped off under his own power, but it was unclear whether he suffered the injury on the catch or the throw, where it looked like he had a somewhat awkward landing. He will be further evaluated on Sunday. Engel also missed a few days earlier in camp with mild inflammation in his right ankle.

Cease feels better than final numbers

In his second 2021 Cactus League start, Dylan Cease threw 3 2/3 scoreless innings Saturday at Camelback Ranch. He fanned three and took his pitch count to 73, with 45 pitches for strikes.

Cease also walked three, allowed three hits and hit two batters. Cleveland had at least two batters on base in each of the first three innings, but Cease emerged unscathed.

“I feel like I pitched a little bit better than the stat line but at the end of the day, I have to lock in a little bit more than I did,” Cease said. “Obviously, I gave a bunch of free runners today, which is going to end up hurting you in the long run. It was an OK outing.

The right-hander threw some good changes and thought the fastball was solid for the most part, topping out at 99 mph.

“Toward the end I was pretty locked in with my slider,” Cease said. “I wasn't really able to throw a curveball for a strike, but that's one of those things where, as a pitcher, you're not always going to have everything working.

“So, I competed and a couple bad mistakes kind of made it look a little worse than I think it was. But at the end of the day ,it was a little too many free passes.”

Third to first

• Yoán Moncada, who had two hits in Saturday’s victory, has reached base in 12 straight Cactus League games.

• The White Sox scored four in the first inning via a José Abreu walk and four straight hits against Cal Quantrill after two were out.