“Angels demand Ryan Noda be exempt from athletics”

The Angels announced Friday that they have signed the first baseman Ryan Noda Athletics exemptions.

Noda, 28, was a Rule 5 pick of the Dodgers organization in 2022 and spent the entire 2023 season on the A's roster. At the time, it seemed like a smart choice. Noda was an on-base machine for the Athletics, hitting .229/.364/.406 and drawing a walk in a whopping 15.6% of his plate appearances. He struck out way too often (34.3%) but managed 16 home runs in this rookie appearance.

However, in 2024, Noda was unable to reproduce this production in a smaller sample of 111 record appearances. In a third of his plate appearances, he posted an atrocious .137/.255/.211 slash line with a reduced (though still excellent) 12.6% walk rate and one strikeout. Noda's Triple-A performance was reminiscent of his performance in 2023, when he hit .224/.391/.486 with 22 home runs and a staggering 19.9% ​​walk rate.

Noda is the embodiment of the abilities of the three true results, with a particular focus on walks and strikeouts. He has shown above-average, but not elite, power to go along with below-average speed (41st percentile, according to Statcast). Both Statcast and Defensive Runs Saved believe the 6-foot-1, 200-pound player is a solid defender at first base. He has also tried his hand at outside corner, but his limited mobility makes him better suited to his primary position.

Noda will enter the 2025 season with minor league options remaining, so the Halos will not need to add him to the Opening Day roster. He can give them some depth Nolan Schanuel – a similarly OBP-focused first baseman whose skillset is in many ways the opposite of Noda. Schanuel has below average strength but rarely strikes. Both players are left-handed hitters who run at plus clips and have limited defensive utility.