Jhonkensy Noel

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Jhonkensy Noel

|image = Jhonkensy 2024.png

|caption = Noel with the Cleveland Guardians in 2024

|team = Cleveland Guardians

|number = 43

|position = First baseman / Outfielder

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|2001|7|15|mf=y}}

|birth_place = San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic

|bats = Right

|throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = June 26

|debutyear = 2024

|debutteam = Cleveland Guardians

|statleague = MLB

|statyear = April 26, 2025

|stat1label = Batting average

|stat1value = .209

|stat2label = Home runs

|stat2value = 14

|stat3label = Runs batted in

|stat3value = 34

|teams =

Cleveland Guardians ({{mlby|2024}}–present)

}}

Jhonkensy Albert Noel (born July 15, 2001), nicknamed "Big Christmas,"{{cite web|last=Martinez-Lopez |first=Melanie |date=June 26, 2024 |title='Wildest 1st AB ever? 'Big Christmas' loses bat, then HRs

|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/jhonkensy-noel-hits-home-run-in-first-mlb-at-bat|access-date=August 28, 2024|website=MLB.com|publisher=}} is a Dominican professional baseball first baseman and outfielder for the Cleveland Guardians of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2024.

Career

File:Jhonkensy Noel (52833501810) (cropped).jpg

Noel signed with the Cleveland Indians organization as an international free agent on July 15, 2017.{{Cite web |last=Ingraham |first=Jim |date=July 4, 2021 |title=Jhonkensy Noel Makes Lots of Hard Contact |url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/jhonkensy-noel-makes-lots-of-hard-contact/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211123012549/https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/jhonkensy-noel-makes-lots-of-hard-contact/ |archive-date=November 23, 2021 |access-date=November 23, 2021 |website=Baseball America}} He made his professional debut in 2018 with the Dominican Summer League Indians, batting .243 with ten home runs and 34 runs batted in (RBIs) over 64 games. In 2019, he played for the Arizona League Indians where he hit .287 with six home runs and 42 RBIs over 47 games. He did not play a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season.{{Cite web |last=Adler |first=David |date=June 30, 2020 |title=2020 Minor League Baseball season canceled |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/2020-minor-league-baseball-season-canceled |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211109193539/https://www.mlb.com/news/2020-minor-league-baseball-season-canceled |archive-date=November 9, 2021 |access-date=August 20, 2021 |website=MLB.com}} Noel split the 2021 season between the Arizona League, the Lynchburg Hillcats, and the Lake County Captains, slashing .340/.390/.615 with 19 home runs and 66 RBIs over 70 games.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/10-mlb-hitting-prospects-with-intriguing-analytical-characteristics/|title=10 MLB Hitting Prospects With Intriguing Analytical Characteristics|first=Geoff|last=Pontes|website=www.baseballamerica.com|date=December 2, 2021 |access-date=December 31, 2021|archive-date=December 31, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211231185243/https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/10-mlb-hitting-prospects-with-intriguing-analytical-characteristics/|url-status=live}}

The newly named Cleveland Guardians added Noel to their 40-man roster on November 19, 2021, protecting him from the Rule 5 draft.{{cite news |title=Guardians Announce Series Of 40-man Roster Moves |url=https://www.mlb.com/guardians/press-release/guardians-announce-series-of-40-man-roster-moves |publisher=CleGuardians.com |date=November 19, 2021 |access-date=November 20, 2021 |archive-date=November 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211120001728/https://www.mlb.com/guardians/press-release/guardians-announce-series-of-40-man-roster-moves |url-status=live }} He split the 2022 campaign between Lake County, the Double–A Akron RubberDucks, and the Triple–A Columbus Clippers, hitting a combined .229/.310/.489 with 32 home runs and 84 RBIs. Noel was optioned to Triple-A Columbus to begin the 2023 season.{{Cite web |date=March 14, 2023 |title=Guardians' Jhonkensy Noel: Optioned to Triple-A |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/guardians-jhonkensy-noel-optioned-to-triple-a/amp/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230315191216/https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/guardians-jhonkensy-noel-optioned-to-triple-a/amp/ |archive-date=March 15, 2023 |access-date=March 15, 2023 |website=CBSSports.com |language=en}} He spent the entirety of the season with the Clippers, batting .220/.303/.420 with 27 home runs and 85 RBIs.

On March 12, 2024, Noel was cut from major league spring training camp and optioned to Triple–A Columbus to start the year.{{cite web | last=Noga | first=Joe | title=Guardians cut nine minor leaguers from spring training roster | website=cleveland | date=March 12, 2024 | url=https://www.cleveland.com/guardians/2024/03/guardians-cut-nine-minor-leaguers-from-spring-training-roster.html | access-date=February 16, 2025}} On June 26, Noel was promoted to the major leagues for the first time.{{cite web | last=Schmidt | first=Matthew | title=Cleveland Guardians Promote Highly Ranked Prospect For MLB Debut | website=SI.com| date=June 26, 2024 | url=https://www.si.com/mlb/guardians/cleveland-guardians-promote-highly-ranked-prospect-for-mlb-debut-01j1az7vh3mh | access-date=February 16, 2025}} He made his major league debut that day against the Baltimore Orioles, recording a home run in his first major league at–bat.{{Cite web |last=Martinez-Lopez |first=Melanie |date=June 26, 2024 |title=Wildest 1st AB ever? 'Big Christmas' loses bat, then HRs |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/jhonkensy-noel-hits-home-run-in-first-mlb-at-bat |access-date=July 1, 2024 |website=MLB.com |language=en}} Pinch hitting in the 9th inning with two outs in game 3 of the ALCS, Noel hit a game-tying two-run home run; the Guardians won in 10 innings.{{Cite web |last=Baer |first=Jack |date=October 18, 2024 |title=Yankees vs. Guardians: Cleveland stuns New York with HRs from Jhonkensy Noel, David Fry |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/live/yankees-vs-guardians-cleveland-stuns-new-york-with-hrs-from-jhonkensy-noel-david-fry-200042413.html |access-date=October 18, 2024 |website=Yahoo! Sports |language=en-US}}