Jhonkensy Noel DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

According to Mandy Bell of MLB.com, the Cleveland Guardians will likely have a rotating door in right field to start the 2025 season. Bell noted that Jhonkensy Noel and Will Brennan would likely operate in a platoon role to begin the season as they did throughout most of the second half of the 2024 season. Across 64 games, Noel posted a .218/.288/.486 slash line with 13 home runs. Under the hood, Noel flashed upside power as he generated a 14.5 percent barrel rate. However, he held a hefty 31.8 percent strikeout rate. Brennan held a .264/.309/.388 slash line across 114 games with just eight home runs and four stolen bases. Unlike Noel, Brennan showed a strong eye at the plate with a 13.6 percent strikeout rate but struggled to generate much power as he posted a 4.6 percent barrel rate. Fantasy managers should only target Noel and Brennan in deeper formats, as their upside will be limited due to sharing playing time.

Cleveland Guardians first baseman/outfielder Jhonkensy Noel came up with one of the signature moments of the postseason on Friday, blasting a two-out, two-run homer off New York Yankees closer Luke Weaver in the bottom of the ninth to tie Game 3 of the ALCS. Noel was down to his final strike before he got a hold of a pitch and sent Progressive Field into a frenzy. The 23-year-old may very well have saved the Guardians season, as they would have gone down 3-0 in the series if it wasn't for his heroics. He may not be in the lineup every day for Cleveland, but when he is at the dish there is always the possibility of a long ball.

Cleveland Guardians rookie first baseman/outfielder Jhonkensy Noel will retreat to the bench for Wednesday's Game 3 of the American League Division Series against the division-rival Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Noel will take a seat for the first time in the ALDS after going hitless in four at-bats with a walk and a hit-by-pitch. Will Brennan will make the start in right field on Wednesday and will hit seventh against Tigers rookie right-hander Keider Montero. Brennan, who hits from the left side, was much better against right-handers this year, going 82-for-295 (.278) against them with all eight of his home runs and 28 of his 30 RBI on the season. He has seen just one at-bat so far in the two games of the ALDS and was unable to record a hit. Brennan finished the final month of the regular season hitting .370 (17-for-46) with three doubles, two RBI and four runs scored in 18 games played.

Cleveland Guardians rookie outfielder Jhonkensy Noel is making the start in right field and is batting seventh for the Guardians in Game 1 of the American League Division Series on Saturday against the division-rival Detroit Tigers and left-handed opener Tyler Holton at Progressive Field. In his first year in the big leagues in 2024, Noel played in a total of 67 games and slashed .218/.288/.486 with a .774 OPS, 13 home runs, 28 RBI, 25 runs scored and 63 strikeouts in his 198 plate appearances. With Cleveland also facing a left-hander (Tarik Skubal) in Game 2 on Monday, it's possible Noel will make two straight starts to begin the series. Noel hit .246 (14-for-57) with seven of his 13 long balls against left-handers this year, compared to .205 (25-for-122) against righties. Noel packs a punch from the right side of the plate, but he should be considered more of a DFS sleeper long shot on Saturday.

Cleveland Guardians rookie first baseman/outfielder Jhonkensy Noel is out of the starting lineup on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Rays at Progressive Field. With Noel back on the bench after starting each of the last three games, Will Brennan will make the start in right field and will bat seventh against Rays right-hander Ryan Pepiot. Noel does have 13 home runs in his first 55 big-league games with Cleveland this year, but he's also hitting only .232 (35-for-151) and has 55 strikeouts in 169 plate appearances. The Dominican slugger has really struggled of late, too, as he doesn't have a hit since Sept. 2. In nine games in September, Noel has gone 2-for-23 (.087) with a double, two RBI and 10 strikeouts. The left-handed-hitting Brennan has not recorded a hit in only three career at-bats against Pepiot and should be considered a low-upside DFS sleeper.