MLB Rumors: 3 next moves for Angels after Shohei Ohtani bolts from them

1. Extend Zach Neto and Nolan Schanuel

Rebuilding teams need to reinforce their young players. So it only makes sense that the Angels need to extend both Zach Neto and Nolan Schanuel to secure them as long-term contributors.

Neto is a 22-year-old shortstop, an above-average fielder who can bat at the top of the order. While he is mostly a contact-hitter, he also has enough power to hit between 15 and 20 home runs a season while batting over .280.

Despite his struggles in 2023 with a .229 average, eight home runs and 30 RBIs in 71 games, securing him now is essential to prevent him from demanding too much money later down the line. At age 22, they should try to extend him to a seven or eight-year contract, taking a few years of his free agency and using all of his arbitration years.

Schanuel, meanwhile, is a 21-year-old first baseman with the potential to be a once-in-a-generation talent who can lead a team. He is probably the best contact hitter since Tony Gwynn. He has only played in 20 games but has shown endless potential with a batting average of .276, 15 walks to 12 strikeouts, and an OBP of .409.

His main attraction is his ability to reach base often which, when batting lead-off in front of other dominant hitters, helps create runs. Schanuel doesn't chase the ball often and rarely swings and misses, making contact most of the time. He has also been able to hit to all sides of the field, pulling it at a 34.4% rate, hitting down the middle 35.9% of the time, and going to the opposite field 29.7% of the time.

In his age-21 season (and brief MLB stint) he has a current OPS+ of 95, indicating he has struggled, but that is expected when you have only played 17 minor league games before receiving a call-up to the majors.