The Angels announced Friday that they’ve claimed first baseman Ryan Noda off waivers from the Athletics.
Noda, 28, was a Rule 5 pick out of the Dodgers organization back in 2022 and spent the entire 2023 campaign on the A’s roster. At the time, it looked like a savvy pick. Noda was an on-base machine with the Athletics, hitting .229/.364/.406 and drawing a walk in a whopping 15.6% of his plate appearances. He struck out far, far too often (34.3%) but popped 16 home runs in that rookie showing.
In 2024, Noda was unable to replicate that production in a smaller sample of 111 plate appearances, however. He posted a grisly .137/.255/.211 slash with a diminished (albeit still excellent) 12.6% walk rate and a strikeout in one-third of his plate appearances. Noda’s Triple-A production was reminiscent of his 2023 output, as he hit .224/.391/.486 with 22 homers and an eye-popping 19.9% walk rate.
Noda is the embodiment of the three-true-outcomes skill set, with a particular focus on walks and strikeouts. He’s shown above-average but not elite power to go along with below-average speed (41st percentile, per Statcast). Both Statcast and Defensive Runs Saved feel the 6’1″, 217-pounder is a sound defender at first base. He’s dabbled in the outfield corners as well, but his limited mobility plays better at his primary position.
Noda will enter the 2025 season with minor league options remaining, so the Halos needn’t carry him on the Opening Day roster. He can give them some depth behind Nolan Schanuel — a similarly OBP-focused first baseman whose skill set is in many ways the inverse of Noda. Schanuel has below-average power but rarely strikes out. Both players are left-handed bats who walk at plus clips and have limited defensive utility.
The A’s seem to be having a lot of guys claimed.
Schanuel isn’t exactly a stud. Niko Kavadas is tearing up the AFL but strikes out too much.
First base is up for grabs.
Watch out on Schan. If he adds 3-5 mph to his bat speed he’s an all star. There were some take downs on his stats and he has some truly generational contact skills.
He easily has one of the smoothest swings in the game rn, but he sacrifices that speed for control and it kills his potential at the moment.
He gets a bit more umph behind his swing and can keep his K% down, he’s an easy all star candidate can’t lie.
Schanuel needs to stick to what he’s good at doing, getting on base. When he was trying to focus on hitting home runs at the beginning of the year, his on-base percentage suffered.
This right here. Get on base a ton and play solid defense and I’m good with Schanuel.
If he can turn into a solid OBP guy in front of Trout (I know) and Soler, that could be a really nice little trio.
Its called a learning curve. Don’t rush things.
The Angels, slowly but surely, are assembling the best AAA team in the majors…watch out!!!
When you’re out of the race by June, that leaves a lot of time to contemplate moves for the 2025 season. Yes, the Angels have been very busy in the days since the WS ended.
Gotta start the rebuild somewhere. Seeing as this is hopefully just depth signing and we wont see him in the majors, its sort of a non-issue.
Notta on Noda. Ahahaha!
Angels had a horrid AAA team this year. Noda and Kingery will head there largely because the Angels haven’t drafted many players worthy of being there.
Horrid is being kind. But I think help is actually on the way.
Lugo should begin at AAA. Tucker Flint is a curiosity who should also be in the OF at AAA.
Dana, Silseth, and whoever loses out on the 5th starter job will be in the rotation at SLC.
Mershon should be there, too, along with Moore.
Curious to see how they handle Fontenelle, who is striking out a ton in the AFL and probably should hit the restart button at AA.
Otherwise there could -maybe – be a decent prospect-worthy group at AAA for once.
White Sox beg to differ
Man, the Angels are moving and shaking this week. All of this to maybe be a 74 win team next year, the Pirates and Rockies should be taking note.
Could be worse. They could be the rockies lol. At least even odds that Montfort would already have signed schanuel and canning to stupid extensions because he liked the cut of their jibs before now lol.
Another bag on the trash pile!
Braves and Angels the only ones which realize the offseason started so far.
“The off-season started so far”… The Dodgers are still counting their receipts from the 2024 season. When you have 48,000+ fans daily and Ohtani, that can sometimes take quite a while. Surely, they’ll be done in time to snare at least 1 top pitcher or even two on the free agent market.
Dodger fans literally won the WS and instead of enjoying the parade are still salty on the comments. Generationally unlikable group.
“Generationally unlikable group”..Suddenly practically everything is considered “generational”. “Generational” hitters and now “generational” fans. Why is being the best or worst at something during this present time not considered good enough?
The Dodgers have their eyes set in Snell. They want him badly.
This poor guy somehow ends up somewhere even worse than Sacramento
I didn’t even see this, because kingery was 30 seconds later. Hopefully perry doesn’t sign 5 1st baseman’s, and forget the middle of the infield again. Plus we still got evan white. Lol
Bunch of minor league depth I hope we don’t need, or the team will, again, be in abysmal shape — versus just “out of shape.”
I’m surprised the a’s weren’t giving him more of a chance in 2024 (and even 2025)
Do they value soderstrom that much?
They gave Noda every chance possible over the past 2 years…a 22yo first rounder with better hitting skills of course is going to get the playing time once said rule 5 guy flails..
True. Also, Soderstrom and Kurtz were/are also on Noda’s way.