2 sizable flaws are keeping Nolan Schanuel out of AL Rookie of the Year conversation

To the surprise of some, Nolan Schanuel is eligible for this year's AL Rookie of the Award. Though the Los Angles' Angels first baseman debuted in 2023, he maintained his rookie status heading into the 2024 season.

But while Schanuel has performed well during his first full season in the big leagues, there are some noticeable flaws in his game that have kept the former first-round pick on the back burner of the AL Rookie of the Year conversation.

On the year, Schanuel is hitting .248/.344/.372 with 12 home runs and 41 RBI. Schanuel has typically occupied the top of manager Ron Washington's lineup card, so it's not overly surprising that he lacks sufficient RBI numbers. But that's not the biggest obstacle keeping Schanuel outside the Rookie of the Year talks.

LA Angels rookie Nolan Schanuel has not provided much power this season

While Schanuel ranks incredibly well in a number of advanced metrics, including chase rate, strikeout rate, and whiff rate, it's been a lack of power that has kept the 22-year-old further down on the list when talking about the best rookies in this year's class. According to Baseball Savant, Schanuel ranks in the 15th percentile or lower in average exit velocity, barrel rate, and hard hit rate.

Of his 96 hits on the season, only 24 have gone for extra bases. That equates to 25% of Schanuel's hits. Compare that to the 40.9% of Colton Cowser's hits going for extra bases, and you can see why that could be a knock against the Angels' leadoff batter. Cowser, of the Baltimore Orioles, is the leader in the clubhouse for the award at the moment.

Further adding to the lack of chatter surrounding Schanuel's prospects of taking home the AL Rookie of the Year Award is his substandard defense. The Angels' first baseman has 0 outs above average (OAA). The aforementioned Cowser has 9 OAA this season and Wyatt Langford, another candidate for top rookie honors, has been worth 2 OAA during his first major league season.

Those two factors — lack of slugging and below-average defense — are keeping Schanuel outside the AL Rookie of the Year Award conversation. It's doubtful that either one will improve dramatically enough over the final month-plus of the season, but Schanuel may still receive some third-place votes when the offseason awards are announced.

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