The Guardians recalled first base/corner outfield prospect Jhonkensy Noel from Triple-A Columbus before this evening’s game with the Orioles. Cleveland optioned outfielder Johnathan Rodriguez in a corresponding move. Noel is starting at first base tonight against Grayson Rodriguez in what’ll be his major league debut.
Noel, who turns 23 next month, has occupied a spot on Cleveland’s 40-man roster dating back to 2021. The Guardians kept him out of that winter’s Rule 5 draft even though he had yet to play above High-A. They’ve patiently allowed him to progress through the minor league ranks. Noel spent almost all of 2022 between High-A and Double-A. He played the entire 2023 season with Columbus, hitting .220/.303/.420 over 138 games.
The Guardians kept Noel on the 40-man roster through some pedestrian offensive performances. They’ve clearly anticipated a breakthrough from the 6’3″, 250-pound slugger. That indeed has come to pass this season. Noel has blasted 18 home runs across 284 trips to the plate, tying for second among International League hitters in longballs. The native of the Dominican Republic owns a robust .295/.359/.578 batting line on the year. After striking out 24.8% of the time during his first look at Triple-A pitching, he has trimmed that to a 21.1% clip this year.
Noel ranked 27th among Cleveland prospects at Baseball America entering the season. Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs ranked him 35th in the system in April. As one would expect for a player of his size, Noel draws praise for massive raw power potential. Both scouting reports question his plate discipline and note the high offensive bar to clear for a player with limited mobility who fits best at first base.
This is Noel’s final option year, so the clock is ticking for him to establish himself as a key piece of Cleveland’s roster. He’ll get that opportunity after his massive start to the season in Columbus. Top first base prospect Kyle Manzardo struggled in his first crack at MLB pitching earlier in the year and was optioned back to Triple-A last week. That leaves an opening at designated hitter alongside first baseman Josh Naylor if Noel hits his way to regular playing time on a Cleveland team that leads the American League with a 51-26 record.
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