Angels calling up 2023 1st rounder, per report

MLB Rumors: Nolan Schanuel, the Anaheim Angels’ first round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, is being promoted to the majors, per Jeff Passan on Twitter.

The 21 year old lefthanded hitting first baseman was the 11th overall pick in the draft out of Florida Atlantic in Conference USA. In 96 pro plate appearances, mostly in AA, he has slashed .370/.510/.493, with 21 walks against just 10 Ks.

The Angels are currently 7 games back of a Wild Card spot and 12.5 games back of the first place Texas Rangers in the American League West after being aggressive buyers at the trade deadline. This would seem to be an effort to juice a lineup that is missing Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon, and that scored just 5 runs in a three game series in Texas that just completed.

Anaheim has gotten little from C.J. Cron, acquired at the deadline in an effort to upgrade their first base performance. Angels first basemen are hitting .239/.290/.385 on the year.

Schanuel going from amateur to the majors in just over a month is an incredibly rapid rise, though not entirely out of character for the Angels of late. They brought 2022 first rounder Zach Neto to the big leagues early this season, and he was their regular shortstop until landing on the injured list.