(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
First baseman Nolan Schanuel has been called up by the Los Angeles Angels to make his big league debut this weekend.
He is not your average prospect, though: he was drafted in June.
He will make his MLB debut just a few weeks after the Angels took him in the first round of the 2023 MLB Draft.
Such a rapid rise is extremely rare in MLB, but the Angels are willing to do whatever it takes to get into the postseason.
Scouts and talent evaluators knew that Schanuel was one of the most advanced bats in the draft, but no one had him in MLB in 2023.
“Scouts that were all-in on Schanuel this spring said he could go straight to Double-A. After the Angels picked him, the speculation shifted to if he’d be the first guy in the big leagues from this class. From the Florida Atlantic Owls to playing with Shohei Ohtani in 21 games!” ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel tweeted.
Scouts that were all-in on Schanuel this spring said he could go straight to Double-A.
After the Angels picked him, the speculation shifted to if he’d be the first guy in the big leagues from this class.
From the Florida Atlantic Owls to playing with Shohei Ohtani in 21 games! https://t.co/5VsaHicVnr
— Kiley McDaniel (@kileymcd) August 18, 2023
He played three games in the Complex League and two in Single-A before the Angels made the decision of placing him in Double-A.
There, he slashed .339/.480/.475 with a home run and a 163 wRC+ (100 is the league average) in just 75 trips to the plate.
He was a star with the FAU Owls, hitting .447/.615/.868 while drawing 71 walks against just 14 strikeouts in 289 plate appearances.
He has contact, he has power, and he has an incredible eye at the plate.
He is also 21 and with limited minor league experience, so growing pains are to be expected.
Still, we can’t deny that he has the potential to help the Angels right away.
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