The San Diego Padres need to replenish their minor league system after President of Baseball Operations and General Manager A.J. Preller dealt away the depth at last summer’s trade deadline.
Jhonkensy Noel presents a unique low-cost, high-upside minor league signing option. He was recently designated for assignment by the Cleveland Guardians due to his struggles at the plate and high strikeout rate. Why not take a flyer on the former power-hitting prospect?
Guardians cut their losses
What happened that caused the Guardians to
discard him this winter? Noel struggled to make consistent contact, as he batted .162 with six home runs and struck out 52 times in 148 at-bats last season.
A far cry from the production he provided the Guardians in 2024. Noel hit .218 with 13 home runs and struck out 63 times in 179 at-bats. His biggest hit came in the postseason. It was a pivotal game-tying, two-run home run against the New York Yankees in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series.
A promising start to a major league career came to a halt, as his plate production fell apart in 2025. Yes, Noel continued to hit the ball hard, but he kept swinging at pitches outside the strike zone. His strikeout-to-walk ratio was 13-1 last season.
The patience was wearing thin for Noel to develop into a top home run hitter. The Guardians felt it was time to part ways.
Friars need a right-handed DH
The designated hitter position remains unsettled, as Gavin Sheets is in the mix from the left side. Noel could become the right-handed option of a possible platoon in 2026. Why not? He is young and a tough out for left-handed pitching. Plus, Noel can launch some balls into the seats at Petco Park.
He profiles as more of a right-handed DH than a corner outfielder. The Padres need more of an athletic defender who can defend from the foul line to center field at Petco Park. Noel has trouble tracking balls hit into the gaps.
Ideally, he should begin the 2026 campaign with the Padres Triple-A affiliate in El Paso, Texas. It will be there where Noel can work on having better plate discipline. If Noel can overcome his struggles, it will help to lower his high career strikeout rate (32.8%).
To make this scenario come to fruition, the Friars will have to wait for him to clear waivers, then sign Noel to a minor league contract. Upon claiming or trading for him, he must be added to the 40-man roster immediately. Suddenly, your feel-good reclamation project vanishes away. Now, Noel must produce at the plate or have a short stay in San Diego.
The Padres finished 90-72 in 2025 and lost to the Chicago Cubs in the National League Wild Card Series. This offseason, they were looking to add more pop to the lineup.
It is hard to believe the Friars have gone this far without adding a proven right-handed bat to the roster. Noel will cost them next to nothing to see what value he offers to the team.
He is a right-handed hitter with raw power, and developing him into his full potential would be a coup for the Padres. You achieve this without compromising your tight salary constraints. Thus, it is worth taking a flyer on Noel.
The holiday season may be ending, but the Padres could add Big Christmas before Spring Training.
