Angels News: Perry Minasian Explains Decision to Call-Up Nolan Schanuel 6 Weeks After Draft

The future first baseman is quickly making a name for himself.

The baseball world was shocked on August 18th when it was announced the Angels were calling up Nolan Schanuel less than six weeks after he was drafted. 

Schanuel skipped AAA and went straight to the major to replace C.J. Cron who went down with an injury.

Schanuel was the 11th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft after hitting an unbelievable .447 average with a 1.483 OPS with the Florida Atlantic Owls.

The 21-year-old played in two Single-A games with the Inland Empire 66ers where he kept up the hitting going 5-6. Getting called up to Double-A right after, Schanuel hit .339 in 16 games while also walking more than he struck out. 

The Angels had seen enough.

“He’s been very productive since he’s been drafted," General Manager Perry Minasian said. "In Double-A. Against good competition. Hit righties. Hit lefties. Hit velocity. One, we feel like he can handle it. Two, the experience will be great for him, similar to what we’ve done with some of our other young players.”

(via Jeff Fletcher, The Orange County Register)

Nolan Schanuel’s path to the majors:
- 11th overall pick six weeks ago
- After 2 Low-A games, promoted to AA
- Hit .339 with 20 hits in 16 AA games
- Angels call him up today, skips AAApic.twitter.com/0IuGEdcMW6

— Milb Central (@milb_central) August 18, 2023

In his first game with the Halos, Schanuel made history by helping turn the seventh triple play in franchise history by gunning someone out at home after a routine double play.

The Angels have recently been known for calling up top picks very quickly being the first team to call up a player from the 2021 draft in Sam Bachman and Chase Silseth, the 2022 draft in Zach Neto and Ben Joyce, and now the 2023 draft with Schanuel.

Schanuel is young and still may be sent down to AAA next year, but if he keeps playing the way he is playing, there may not be a need to send the kid down ever again.