When Ryan Noda completed the Ross Stripling trade in February of 2021, as the “player to be named later”, he joined the Dodgers ready to make a name of his own.
In his very first at-bat as a Dodger, and on the very first pitch he saw, he did just that by hitting a home run over the left field wall.
When asked what it was like to hit that homerun in his first at-bat as a Dodger, Noda said that it was a pretty awesome feeling.
You know it was awesome, Noda said. I was trying to go up there and have a good first at bat. They said the guy threw a lot of fastballs early and so I was trying to time a fastball and he gave me one on the outer half of the plate and I just put a barrel on it. It was pretty sweet to have my first at-bat as a Dodger, in this organization, be a homerun.
Noda is eligible for the Rule 5 draft, and unless the Dodgers protect him, he will be gone, and that would be a bigger loss than many if not most Dodgers fans realize.
Noda possesses a combination of skills that fit the Dodger’s profile to a tee. He hits homeruns, he walks a lot, he grinds out pitch counts, and he can play multiple positions defensively.
At 6’3″, 217 pounds, not only can Noda play multiple positions, but he also crosses over between the infield and outfield.
It is not a secret that the Dodgers have money to spend on draft picks, free agents, and the trade deadline, but while those things have bolstered the Dodger’s roster over the last decade, the foundation for the organization’s success has come in player development.
And, specifically, identifying the type of player that is coveted.
For all of the Trea Turners, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freemans that the Dodgers have acquired, they have also identified and developed guys like Max Muncy, Chris Taylor and Justin Turner as well as several high-leverage pitchers.
Finding and developing those guys was not just random luck. Muncy, Taylor, Turner, and now Noda, fit the Dodgers profile in terms of skill sets and that’s why they were targeted.
Identifying and Developing
In 2021, Noda led AA Central in both home runs and walks and was 2nd of any player in any league in AA in both categories. He was also 5th in RBI’s, and 12th in OPS so he was one of the best sluggers in all of Minor League baseball.
In 2022 he hit 25 home runs and paired that with an average of .259 and an OPS of .869, and, once again, led the league in walks. He also tied for 7th in home runs and was also 7th in OPS.
And, honestly, having seen him a lot, I’m of the opinion that he’s capable of way more.
When asked, Noda said that he’s not trying to hit homeruns, he just sticks to his plan and tries to help the team win.
Yeah, I just go up there with a plan. We go over whose pitching every day of the game and I just stick to my plan and look for a pitch I can drive. I’m not trying to hit homeruns, I’m trying to hit line drives, and mistakes will go over the fence. I’m just gonna keep doing what I do best and grind at bats and make it hard on the pitcher and do everything I can to help the team win.
Spray Chart
Noda can also hit to all fields, and has shown the ability to hit for power even when his timing is off. In this video Noda hits a homerun that had an exit velocity of 100 mph, and he was a touch out front.
You know you have power when you half swing and still hit the ball out of the stadium.
— Dodgers Daily (@dodger_daily) August 25, 2021
Ryan Noda has serious power and is 2nd in AA in homeruns pic.twitter.com/N56zb8WzjC
Here’s a tape measure shot hit up the middle
And here’s one hit to the opposite field to complete Noda’s circuit of power.
When asked about his ability to hit to all Fields Noda said its about being able to stick to a plan.
You know that’s also sticking to a plan. It’s trying to stay through the ball even if they are working you in, I feel like I have good enough and quick enough hands where I feel I can still get to that inside pitch and that’s how I became where I’m at. I can hit the ball out of any part of the park and so all I have to do is touch the ball and hopefully it goes.
Ceiling Keeps Growing
One of the exciting aspects of Noda’s career is that his progression shows that his ceiling is growing.
In College, at Cincinnati, Noda hit 32 home runs and averaged hitting a homerun once every 32 at-bats as a Bearcat. In his first year in Rookie ball, he averaged hitting a homerun every 30 at-bats, then, in the last 2 years, his power has really surged. He hit a League-leading 29 home runs in 2021, then 25 this past season in 2022.
Noda has also become more efficient at drawing walks during his professional career. He’s has walked every 4.76 plate appearances in the last 2 years, and walked every 7.4 plate appearances in College, so this has been an acquired skill, at least to an extent, and one that he has mastered.
Add in the fact that he was 5th in RBIs in AA in 2021, then 4th in RBIs in the PCL this past season, and it paints a clear picture that Noda is very good and has a profile that fits well inside the framework of the Dodgers system.
Path to the Big Leagues
As talented as Noda is, and as good of an acquisition as he has been, he also understands that the Dodgers organization is simply loaded with great players. But he is trying to make himself a piece to the puzzle for the Dodgers to help them win Championships.
Noda is hoping that his versatility on defense, and his skill set offensively gives him an edge.
Yeah, you know, defense is a big part of winning especially in this organization and you don’t make it to the major leagues unless you can do both, both offense and defense. And you need to be versatile because on our big league team we have All Stars at almost every position, so I’m just trying to figure out where they would need me and where I would fit into the Major League puzzle here in the future and helping the team keep going to the playoffs and winning that ring.
The Dodgers love players that hit homeruns like Noda, especially when they pair that with the ability to walk at the rate of Noda. So, although he may have come to the Dodgers as the “player to be named later”, Ryan Noda has made a name for himself, and, hopefully, just hopefully, the Dodgers can hold on to him.
