Angels To Face Decision On Ill-Fitting First Baseman

Losing 100 games in a season is quite an indicator that there are several areas of need heading into 2027 for the Los Angeles Angels. Acquiring help in the outfield, at the catcher position, and in the bullpen will all be big priorities for the Halos this winter, but perhaps there may be room for a shakeup in what’s been a locked-down position.

The Angels have had their starting first baseman in Nolan Schanuel for three full seasons now after he first debuted at the end of 2023, just a couple of months after being selected in the first round of the 2023 MLB Draft.

Schanuel just put up his best season yet, according to his 2.1 bWAR, slashing .276/.351/.385 in the process. Despite this, there remain questions about the 24-year-old’s impact with his abnormal set of skills.

Standing at 6-feet-two-inches and weighing 220 pounds, Schanuel has the frame of a premier first baseman. His skill set, however, doesn’t align with that of a typical first baseman.

From a first baseman, you expect an offensive powerhouse. You want home runs, extra-base hits, a high on-base percentage – an ideal first baseman is a nightmare for opposing pitchers. While Schanuel’s .736 OPS is above league average, he doesn't quite fit that same mold as others at his position.

Schanuel is not a power hitter. Despite a frame that seems built for power, he’s never hit more than 13 home runs in a season. In 2026, Schanuel hit only seven homers in 107 games. No other first baseman in baseball had as few home runs as Schanuel in at least 105 games this season.

It comes down to his hitting profile. Schanuel is a great contact guy – his .276 average was the second-best on the Angels this season. He rarely chases bad pitches, and his 13% strikeout rate is elite. Still, he is unable to provide power at the plate.

His 2.4% barrel rate hinders his ability to launch balls very far, and his poor bat speed contributes to a low hard-hit percentage. Schanuel’s bat simply is not that of a first baseman.

At just 24 years old, there is always time to develop that power, but it seems more like wishful thinking at this point. Maybe Schanuel’s lack of power can be attributed to the Angels fast-tracking him to the major leagues before getting time to develop that part of his game in the minors.

Even with his lack of power, Schanuel has a positive bat overall, just not the typical hitting profile of a first baseman. I think he deserves a spot on the team, but I don’t think the Angels should be averse to exploring an upgrade at first base for 2027 and beyond.

Upcoming free-agent first basemen Jake Bauers, Yandy Diaz, and Ty France are some names to keep an eye on that would better fit the mold for what you want out of a first baseman. An upgrade at first base may not be a priority for the Angels this offseason, but it’s certainly something they’ll have to consider soon enough with just three more years of team control for Schanuel anyways.