2024 Cleveland Guardians Prospect Scouting Report: #25 1B Jhonkensy Noel

Noel has high upside as a power threat, but is out of position and in his last option year

Justin Lada

Mar 08, 2024

Jhonkensy Noel Bio

Age (2024 season): 22
Acquired: 2017 International Free Agent
2023 Level: Triple-A
Height: 6’3
Weight: 250
Bats: Right
Throws: Right

Jhonkensy Noel Stats

PA: 585
AVG/OBP/SLG: .220/.303/.420
2B: 23
HR: 27
SB: 1/4
K%/BB%: 24.8%/8.4%

Jhonkensy Noel 2024 Scouting Grades

Hit: 30
Power: 55
Speed: 30
Defense: 45
Arm: 50
Overall: 40
Risk: High
ETA: 2024

Build & Background

Big bodied with a big, fun personality to match, Noel certainly stands out on a baseball field. He’s thick in the lower half, has strong forearms and a very built upper half as well. It’s a corner player build with his physique fully filled out to the point where he’ll need to maintain it to stay on the field and not become a DH only. Moderately athletic at first base. Uses a low base with low hands to hit from. Moderate weight transfer. Front leg is crouched and gets into his back legs and base well. Noel was signed by the Guardians in 2017 out of his native San Pedro de Macoris, DR for just $100,000.

What Noel Does Well

The carrying tool for Noel is his power. Nobody in the Guardians system can match Noel’s raw power. When he makes good contact, he can send a baseball 500 feet. So a power hitter, Noel actually doesn’t swing and miss that much. Shows moderate control of the strike zone and a solid eye at the plate. Can lay off junk. He punishes fastballs. Noel is surprisingly a decent athlete at first base, showing good flexibility.

https://x.com/CLBClippers/status/1700660674781749584?s=20

Where Noel Needs to Improve

Even a 40 or 45 hit tool would allow Noel to tap into his power more in-game. It’s not a contact issue for Noel as much as it is about selectivity. For a hitter with great raw power, his overall barrel control lags, making an infrequent quality contact, sometimes too soft for someone with his strength. Tends to get out in front on breaking stuff and struggles with offspeed pitches in general. Is a decent first baseman, but does not have the range to play a quality third base or outfield long term. Lack of range and speed limits him to first base.

Key Stats

Despite playing in a hitter friendly home ballpark, Noel hit 13 homers and had a .423 slugging percentage. You would be hoping for more power output for a player like Noel playing in a hitter friendly environment.

Intangibles

Noel is well liked by teammates for his fun and infectious personality. Though he may not be likely to fare well as a defender in the outfield (or third base for that matter), Noel has never shied away from the position changes or the work needed to attempt those changes.

Future

2024 is a big year for Noel. He’s on his last option year, so for his and the organization’s sake, Noel needs to get a look his year in the majors if they feel like he could be an answer. It will almost certainly come in the outfield, even though he’s best suited for first base. There’s immense upside as a 40 home run hitter with below average defense in an outfield corner, but more likely Noel looks like a low-OBP slugger unless he’s able to be more selective to what pitches he can do damage with and pick up on pitch recognition more.

Role

40 - Low-OBP, power hitting corner bat with high upside but a limited value floor