Ryan Noda

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Athletics #26 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 40/Medium
  
  Track Record: A powerful but strikeout-prone slugger at Cincinnati, Noda was drafted by the Blue Jays in the 15th round in 2017 and traded to the Dodgers as the player to be named later for Ross Stripling before the 2021 season. He took a leap in the Dodgers system and delivered a strong showing at Triple-A Oklahoma City in 2022, finishing in the top 10 in the organization in runs (86), doubles (23), home runs (25), RBIs (90), stolen bases (20), walks (92) and on-base percentage (.395). The A's selected him with the second pick of the Rule 5 draft after the season.
  
  Scouting Report: Noda stands a physical 6-foot-3, 217 pounds from the left side and is one of the most patient hitters in the minors. He owns a career .407 on-base percentage and walks in nearly one out every five plate appearances. Noda works long at-bats and has above-average raw power when he connects, but his swing is a bit stiff and leaves him prone to swinging and missing in the zone. He's mostly a three-true-outcomes hitter reliant on walking. Noda is a good athlete for his size and plus defensive first baseman. He moves around the bag fluidly and is excellent at picking balls out of the dirt to prevent errors. He has good range and is a reliable, consistent defender.
  
  The Future: Noda's power, on-base skills and defense give him a chance to stick as a reserve. He'll aim to make his big league debut in 2023.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 30. Power: 50. Speed: 40. Fielding: 60. Arm: 50.
• 
  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #14 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: After piling up strikeouts at Cincinnati, Noda fell to the Blue Jays in the 15th round in 2017. He quickly rebounded in pro ball, winning the Rookie-level Appalachian League MVP award that summer. In 2018, he was bumped to low Class A Lansing, where Noda led the minors with 109 walks.
  
  Scouting Report: The first two months of the season, Noda drew a lot of walks but did little else, finishing May with a .203/.443/.308 slash line. After that, Noda settled in, batting .281/.409/.570 the rest of the season. Noda combines extreme plate patience (he walked in 21 percent of his plate appearances last year) with strong forearms and plus raw power from the left side. Noda's power comes with a high strikeout rate, so he doesn't project to be better than a .260 hitter. When he's able to square the ball up, however, he has the bat speed, strength and ability to generate lift in his swing, making him a threat to go deep to all fields with the patience to draw plenty of walks and keep his on-base percentage up. A below-average runner, Noda split time between first base and the outfield corners, with adequate defense at each spot.
  
  The Future: Noda's offensive skill set shouldn't give him any issues at the lower levels. His family of comparable offensive players carries considerable 4-A player-type risk, but he could carve out an Eric Hinske-type career as a patient, power-hitting lefty. High Class A Dunedin is up next in 2019.
• 
  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #13 prospect in 2018
  Noda could have gone in the top three rounds of the 2017 draft, but he racked up a high strikeout rate during his junior year at Cincinnati and fell to the 15th round. He showed an exciting combination of patience and power after signing, winning the MVP award in the Rookie-level Appalachian League, where he led the circuit in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging. Noda is a strong, physical hitter with quick wrists and plus power, who drives the ball with authority the opposite way. With an upright approach, Noda's swing can get stiff at times and he will have to prove he's more than a mistake hitter taking advantage of lower-level pitching, but he can hammer the ball out to all fields with natural loft in his stroke. He's an extremely patient hitter who walked at a 21 percent clip in his debut. Noda is a below-average runner who spent most of his time in Bluefield at first base, but he has enough athleticism and arm strength to go to either corner outfield spot, and the Blue Jays plan to put him in the outfield in 2018.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked American League #12 prospect in 2017
  Many clubs had Noda jotted down as a potential top-three rounds pick coming into the 2017 draft, but a lackluster junior year at Cincinnati pushed him to the 15th round. The Blue Jays took a chance on Noda, and he immediately proved to be a potential steal. The Appy League MVP led the league in average (.364), on-base percentage (.507) and slugging (.575) and stood out for his advanced physicality. Noda derives much of his bat speed from extremely strong and flexible wrists. He's capable of turning on heat and slamming low breaking pitchers. He's a patient hitter who waits for a pitch to crush, and he led the league in walks, with 25 more than the next closest batter. He should develop a hit tool that's at least average. Noda's power grades out to be above-average, but he can be prone to strikeouts because of his passivity. Despite primarily manning first base, Noda has the athleticism needed to play either outfield corner. He has the requisite footwork, arm strength, and speed to handle right field.

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 40/Medium
  
  Track Record: A powerful but strikeout-prone slugger at Cincinnati, Noda was drafted by the Blue Jays in the 15th round in 2017 and traded to the Dodgers as the player to be named later for Ross Stripling before the 2021 season. He took a leap in the Dodgers system and delivered a strong showing at Triple-A Oklahoma City in 2022, finishing in the top 10 in the organization in runs (86), doubles (23), home runs (25), RBIs (90), stolen bases (20), walks (92) and on-base percentage (.395). The A's selected him with the second pick of the Rule 5 draft after the season.
  
  Scouting Report: Noda stands a physical 6-foot-3, 217 pounds from the left side and is one of the most patient hitters in the minors. He owns a career .407 on-base percentage and walks in nearly one out every five plate appearances. Noda works long at-bats and has above-average raw power when he connects, but his swing is a bit stiff and leaves him prone to swinging and missing in the zone. He's mostly a three-true-outcomes hitter reliant on walking. Noda is a good athlete for his size and plus defensive first baseman. He moves around the bag fluidly and is excellent at picking balls out of the dirt to prevent errors. He has good range and is a reliable, consistent defender.
  
  The Future: Noda's power, on-base skills and defense give him a chance to stick as a reserve. He'll aim to make his big league debut in 2023.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 30. Power: 50. Speed: 40. Fielding: 60. Arm: 50.
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 40/Medium
  
  Track Record: A powerful but strikeout-prone slugger at Cincinnati, Noda was drafted by the Blue Jays in the 15th round in 2017 and traded to the Dodgers as the player to be named later for Ross Stripling before the 2021 season. He took a leap in the Dodgers system and delivered a strong showing at Triple-A Oklahoma City in 2022, finishing in the top 10 in the organization in runs (86), doubles (23), home runs (25), RBIs (90), stolen bases (20), walks (92) and on-base percentage (.395). The A's selected him with the second pick of the Rule 5 draft after the season.
  
  Scouting Report: Noda stands a physical 6-foot-3, 217 pounds from the left side and is one of the most patient hitters in the minors. He owns a career .407 on-base percentage and walks in nearly one out every five plate appearances. Noda works long at-bats and has above-average raw power when he connects, but his swing is a bit stiff and leaves him prone to swinging and missing in the zone. He's mostly a three-true-outcomes hitter reliant on walking. Noda is a good athlete for his size and plus defensive first baseman. He moves around the bag fluidly and is excellent at picking balls out of the dirt to prevent errors. He has good range and is a reliable, consistent defender.
  
  The Future: Noda's power, on-base skills and defense give him a chance to stick as a reserve. He'll aim to make his big league debut in 2023.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 30. Power: 50. Speed: 40. Fielding: 60. Arm: 50.