Most important Angels players for the 2025 MLB season: Nolan Schanuel

When the Los Angeles Angels selected Nolan Schanuel 11th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, few people could have predicted the sort of ascension he would have. He made his MLB debut less than six weeks after being drafted and was handed the full-time duties at first base by Opening Day in 2024.

Schanuel returned the favor with a decent rookie season, finishing with a .250 batting average and a .343 on-base percentage. He added 19 doubles, 13 home runs, 54 runs batted in and 10 stolen bases. Those are good numbers for a rookie, but more is expected from the first-round pick. Entering year three in the majors, can Schanuel take a step toward being an All-Star?

Offseason adjustments could be key to breakout season

Schanuel has made it known that his bat speed is not where he wants it to be. He ranked in the bottom two percentile among qualified hitters in bat speed last season, per Baseball Savant. That coincided with a low barrel rate (bottom 9%), hard-hit rate (bottom 4%) and average exit velocity (bottom 7%).

Those numbers are way below par for a player of his make - a 6-foot-2 left-handed hitting first baseman. Schanuel was never a huge power hitter, although he hit 19 home runs in his final season at Florida Atlantic. MLB Pipeline gave him a 50 grade for his power, but the potential is there to unlock more. The 23-year-old has made it a priority to try and add strength to his promising build.

There are signs Schanuel can improve in the power department. He finished in the 93rd percentile in squared-up rate last year, meaning he got close to maximum exit velocity on his swings based on bat speed. If the bat speed increases, so too should the exit velocity and other rate stats that go into producing power.

On-base numbers give Schanuel All-Star potential

What's never been a knock on Schanuel's offensive approach is his plate discipline. He rarely chases pitches outside of the strike zone and his Savant rates back that up. His chase and whiff rates ranked in the 91st and 96th percentiles in 2024. He drew 68 walks, good for ninth in the American League, and was 17th in the AL with a .343 on-base percentage.

The Angels will take those numbers, but Schanuel has more to offer as a hitter than being able to draw a ton of walks. His success at hitting for extra bases in college hasn’t translated to the pros yet. Over 40% of Schanuel's hits in college went for extra bases. That number dipped to 24% in his first full season as a pro with 19 doubles and 13 home runs.

This is not to say that a few adjustments will make Schanuel a consistent 30-home-run hitter, but he seems far too talented at the plate to be sitting under 20 in doubles and homers. The Angels' first baseman set a good baseline for himself during his rookie year. There is room to improve, and he should see plenty of pitches hitting ahead of Mike Trout in the order. If his work in the offseason can transfer to game action, there could be a few trips to the Midsummer Classic in Nolan Schanuel's future.

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