Cleveland Guardians power-hitting prospect likely to receive a second chance in 2026

The Cleveland Guardians have had an influx of outfielder prospects the past few seasons.

This past season, the front office decided to call up various prospective bats with the hope of sparks to start flying. In September, the team opted to give outfielders George Valera, Chase DeLauter and Petey Halpin chances to make their respective big-league debuts.

Each looked good, but certainly need time to develop and grow.

Valera led the bunch in appearances, with 16 on the season, not including postseason play. He slashed a mark of .220/.333/.415 with nine hits, two doubles and two home runs for five RBIs. He also had a knack for seeing pitches, drawing seven walks to 13 strikeouts.

Halpin only played in six outings, while DeLauter's time only came in the MLB postseason.

But, through the shiny, eye-catching prospects, there's one player behind them who may only be given one more chance to hold onto a major league spot.

His name is Big Christmas, otherwise known as Jhonkensy Noel.

Across 136 games in the majors, Noel's been known as one of the most lethal power hitters in the sport. On just one pitch in any given inning, the 24-year-old could change the game with the swing of his bat.

Most notably, he's remembered for a game-tying two-run home run off New York Yankees pitcher Luke Weaver. The Guardians at the time were down to their last out in Game 3 of the 2024 ALCS, with his hit changing the trajectory of the game before Cleveland was able to walk it off in the 10th.

However, while Noel has painted some of the biggest moments in Cleveland's storied baseball history, the statistics and film show he has a lot of work to do to become a reliable bat.

Through his two years with the Guardians' major league roster, he's slashed a line of .193/.242/.401 with 19 home runs and 41 RBIs. His first year looked much better than 2025, meaning his game is currently trending downward.

To open the 2025 season with the major league team, he was hitting just .140 in 107 at-bats. While he ended up popping that batting average up a few notches to .161 by the end of the season, it's certainly not enough to be convinced he's anywhere close to being an everyday contributor in the majors.

If Noel can get more consistent and avoid going for the home-run shot every single at-bat, with 46% of his hits at the major league level having been extra-base knocks, he should be able to at least be a rotational piece until he gets more comfortable.

He's a very talented hitter, but can he be more reliable and lean into more instances of contact hitting?

There are plenty of young guys chomping at the bit to take a spot on the major league roster, so Noel must be ready to go from the start of Spring Training in just a few months.

2026 will more than likely serve as Noel's last chance to keep his career in Cleveland alive.

The Guardians' first game of the 2026 season will come on Thursday, March 26, against the Seattle Mariners.