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Nolan Schanuel 2023 MLB Draft Profile

Nolan Schanuel is among the best offensive prospects in the draft. He has been a starter for the Florida Atlantic University Fighting Owls, since his freshman year in Boca Raton. In his two years at FAU, the lefty has hit .357 including a total of 27 home runs. Part of Schanuel’s success comes from his plate discipline. Ever since becoming a Fighting Owl, he has had more walks than strikeouts. When coupled with his .357 batting average in his two seasons in Boca, it has correlated to high on-base (.462), and slugging (.619) percentages. Scouts will undoubtedly be highly intrigued by Schanuel’s plate discipline, as it may be his best attribute.

Schanuel is projected as the 29th-best overall prospect in the 2023 MLB draft. While draft player rankings rarely correlate to what pick the player will be chosen with, the Seattle Mariners have the 29th pick in the draft. What could be interesting is the Miami Marlins have pick 35. Schanuel played high school baseball for Park Vista High School in Boynton Beach, two cities north of Florida Atlantic University’s main campus in Boca Raton. Should Schanuel be available at pick 35, the Marlins may pick him knowing he has performed well close to home.

Nolan Schanuel Draft Profile

Scouting grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 50 | Run: 45 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 50

Strengths

Schanuel has the build of a prototypical MLB first baseman, at 6′-4″, 220 pounds. He is considered to be an above-average MLB-hitting prospect who typically hits for average, but can provide some pop, potentially, as well. While he is projected to be drafted as a first baseman, he may have the athletic ability to be a corner outfielder, though he has what has been assessed as average speed.

Weaknesses

While his numbers for the Fighting Owls have been outstanding, his excursion to the Cape Cod League, was lackluster, to say the least. Schanuel batted .200 in 36 games (125 plate appearances), with one home run and 11 RBI, for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks, in 2022. This is what makes the Marlins’ pick at 35 all that more intriguing. Schanuel underperformed away from where he is accustomed to playing (South Florida). Could the same thing happen if he were to be drafted by a team outside of what appears to be his comfort zone, which could be what happened during his trip to the Cape Cod League in 2022? The Marlins also have pick 10 in the draft. Would they be willing to use that high of a pick on a player who is ranked 29th?

MLB Comparison

From a strictly physical standpoint, Schanuel is comparable to Baltimore Orioles‘ first baseman, Ryan Mountcastle. While both are 6’-4″, Schanuel is nearly 40 pounds heavier than Mountcastle (183 pounds). Mountcastle was a late first-round pick in the 2015 MLB Draft (36th). Additionally, Mountcastle does not appear to be as disciplined at the plate as Schanuel. In a little over two major league seasons, Mountcastle is batting .257, with 71 home runs, and 236 RBI. Schanuel has the potential to be a great offensive player. How his game translates from college baseball to professional baseball will be an intriguing variable to follow, especially if he is drafted by a team other than the Miami Marlins.

Main photo credits:

Ron Schloerb/Cape Cod Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

Players mentioned:

Nolan Schanuel, Ryan Mountcastle

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