LA Angels first baseman Nolan Schanuel returns to Florida Atlantic grateful for journey to big leagues

Former Florida Atlantic baseball star Nolan Schanuel had plenty of catching up to do at the Owls baseball luncheon this week. Afterall, the Los Angeles Angels First Baseman has now logged three seasons in the big leagues.”The memories, the people and being able to connect and go hit at the facility is awesome,” Schanuel said about being back on campus.The Boynton Beach native and Park Vista High School graduate spends his offseasons in South Florida. This week, he’ll head to Tempe, Arizona, for his third spring training and fourth season in major league baseball.”Pro baseball is a grind, and you have to have a certain mental capacity and physical build to make it through 162 games in 184 days, but I love every single second of it,” he said.It also helped Schanuel learning from two all-time greats and Angels teammates Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani.”Learning from them in every aspect of the game on the field or off the field really helped me a lot,” Schanuel said.After getting drafted #11 overall in 2023—the highest draft pick in FAU history— Schanuel became the fastest player in 45 years to reach the big leagues. While his individual production has been impressive, the wins haven’t followed for the Angels, something he and his teammates hope to address this year.”Our motto last year was say hi to everyone and start with a great day, and if we have a great day, you can win. If you have your teammates back and coaches back, they will have your back, and that is what you need to win,” he said.

BOCA RATON, Fla. —

Former Florida Atlantic baseball star Nolan Schanuel had plenty of catching up to do at the Owls baseball luncheon this week. Afterall, the Los Angeles Angels First Baseman has now logged three seasons in the big leagues.

“The memories, the people and being able to connect and go hit at the facility is awesome,” Schanuel said about being back on campus.

The Boynton Beach native and Park Vista High School graduate spends his offseasons in South Florida. This week, he’ll head to Tempe, Arizona, for his third spring training and fourth season in major league baseball.

“Pro baseball is a grind, and you have to have a certain mental capacity and physical build to make it through 162 games in 184 days, but I love every single second of it,” he said.

It also helped Schanuel learning from two all-time greats and Angels teammates Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani.

“Learning from them in every aspect of the game on the field or off the field really helped me a lot,” Schanuel said.

After getting drafted #11 overall in 2023—the highest draft pick in FAU history— Schanuel became the fastest player in 45 years to reach the big leagues. While his individual production has been impressive, the wins haven’t followed for the Angels, something he and his teammates hope to address this year.

“Our motto last year was say hi to everyone and start with a great day, and if we have a great day, you can win. If you have your teammates back and coaches back, they will have your back, and that is what you need to win,” he said.