Why Jhonkensy Noel makes sense as a Cubs power lottery ticket

Ken Blaze - USA Today Sports

Dustin Riese · Senior Writer · 9 hours ago

Let us be the first to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a safe and happy holiday season. May you enjoy all the time and love you can imagine with your friends and loved ones. Sticking with the Christmas scene, how nice would it be for the Cubs to make a move in order to give the fans a little holiday present of their own.

Whether that happens or not remains to be seen, but it does appear a move could be coming, as more reports indicate they expect the Cubs to land Tatsuya Imai come the New Year. If that ends up being a reality, not only would that be a massive win for the Cubs, but it would be the first time since Jon Lester that the Cubs invested tons of money into a a starting pitcher and one who could anchor the rotation for years.

While we wait on the Imai decision, the Cubs still need to focus on the other parts of their roster, including a power threat in the middle of the lineup. Unless Kyle Tucker returns, the Cubs will be down a massive power threat in the middle of their lineup, and that will hurt this team. One way to address that would be to go after the Big Christmas himself, as the Cleveland Guardians recently released Jhonkensy Noel in a surprise decision.

Nicknamed the Big Christmas due to his massive 6-3 and 250-pound frame, Noel is one of the best power hitters in the game as he produces some of the best exit velocities in the game and is capable of launching 450-plus foot homers on every swing. Given how the weather has played at Wrigley the past few seasons, that type of power bodes well in Chicago, as the stiff winds wouldn't be able to knock those balls down.

Signed as an international free agent in 2018, the 24-year-old Noel has been one of the Guardians' best power threats since he debuted and instantly started to climb the ranks in the Guardians Minor League system. Across time in seven different Minor League seasons, Noel may not have hit for a high average (.259), but he did continuously show consistency at the plate, especially when it comes to power.

All you have to do is look at his track record: he had double-digit homers in all but one minor league season, including four straight seasons of at least 18 homers, and he has racked up 126 career minor league homers and 409 RBIs. His best season came in 2022, when he blasted a career-best 32 homers and 84 RBIs, before adding a career-high 85 RBIs in 2023.

It was the 2023 season that is worth noting, as that was his final full season in the Minors, as Noel made his Major League debut during the second half of the 2024 season. After hitting .295 with 18 homers and 59 RBIs across 65 Minor League games, Noel earned the right to showcase his skills in the majors as the Guardians called him up in June, where he remained for the remainder of the season.

Noel wound up playing in 67 games that season, and despite struggling at the plate with a .218 average, his 12 homers and 27 RBIs were enough for the Guardians to believe his power potential was there to be a big-time piece of their future. Expecting to take his lumps along the way, which he did, Noel came into the 2025 season ready to prove he is not only a franchise piece, but someone whom the Guardians could count on long term.

Instead, Noel went through what some would call a sophomore slump, a shell of his 2023 and 2024 self. In 69 games with the Guardians last season, Noel not only struggled to hit the ball (.162 average), but also lacked any plate discipline, with four walks and 52 strikeouts. He also had only six homers and 13 RBIs in those games, as Noel's performance wasn't good enough, leading him to be sent back to AAA by midseason.

Once he returned to Columbus, you started to see the Noel of old, as he wound up hitting .273 for the Clippers this season, connecting for 12 homers and 39 RBIs in 61 games, once again proving he is too good for AAA pitching. Instead of giving him another chance this Spring to prove his worth, the Guardians made the shocking decision to release Noel, making him available for all 29 other teams to sign.

This is a classic case of an organization giving up on a player far too soon, as Noel is still just 24 years old and has proven to be an elite power hitter. Given how things have transpired the past two seasons, Noel may find it hard to get a major league deal, but he shouldn't have an issue landing a Minor League deal with an invite to Spring.

The Cubs are one of those teams that should consider that, as they not only need to fill eight more roster spots on their 40-man roster but could use additional outfield depth and power. The power alone makes him an intriguing option, as he could ultimately work his way onto the Cubs roster to become their full-time DH.

Pair him with Moises Ballesteros and or Owen Caissie, and suddenly the middle of the Cubs lineup looks a lot different, as the threat of Noel in any lineup is real. If a move like this were to happen, don't expect it until closer to Spring, but it is worth discussing given how Hoyer handles his business.