Ron Washington Reveals Who Will Lead Off For Angels This Season

A rookie will bat leadoff and play first base.

This time last year, Nolan Schanuel was at Florida Atlantic, preparing to begin his last season with the Owls.

By August, he was playing at Angels Stadium, just six weeks after being a first-round draft pick. It was the fastest promotion of a non-pitcher from the draft to MLB in 20 years.

On Wednesday, manager Ron Washington made it known that the rookie will play first base and bat leadoff this season.

The rookie had an on-base percentage of .402 in 132 plate appearances last season.

“We have a lot of hope for him and he has a lot of hope for himself. I like his work ethic, and with that, all you can do is get better.”

Ron Washington via The Athletic

First baseman, @NSchanuel 🫡@Angels | #LAASpring pic.twitter.com/DWwyMMsQ93

— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) February 15, 2024

In 29 games last year, Schanuel batted .275 with 30 hits, three doubles, and a home run. However, the number that stands out is his 20 walks compared to 19 strikeouts. He also broke a franchise record for the Angels last year, as he reached base safely in his first 16 games as a big leaguer.

When he made his debut, he hit leadoff and recorded his first career major league hit. He drew a walk, scoring on a Shohei Ohtani grand slam, and was part of a triple play.

He failed to reach a 130-game minimum to be considered for Rookie of the Year, and he should be a candidate for the award this season if he builds on last season's numbers.

There's no doubt that he knows how to get on base, but the question remains if he can do it for 162 games. He believes he can and does his manager.