On Wednesday afternoon, it was revealed that the Cleveland Guardians optioned struggling outfielder Johnathan Rodriguez to Triple-A Columbus and they called up an exciting rookie to take his place.
Guardians fans had been calling for Jhonkensy Noel for weeks now, and the team finally promoted him to the majors before the series finale against the Baltimore Orioles.
Noel, who is sporting an impressive .937 OPS for Triple-A Columbus this year, was greeted by O’s young ace Grayson Rodriguez for his first at-bat.
Far from being fazed by the bright lights and the tough opponent, Noel rose to the occasion and belted a long home run to give his team the lead in the second inning.
It was an impressive blast against one of the game’s top young pitchers, and everyone was impressed.
With the homer, Noel entered the Guardians’ history books because it was in his very first at-bat.
Guards insider Zack Meisel explains:
“Cleveland hitters with a home run in their first career big-league at-bat: Earl Averill: April 16, 1929, Jay Bell: Sept. 29, 1986, Kevin Kouzmanoff: Sept. 2, 2006, Jhonkensy Noel: tonight,” he tweeted.
Cleveland hitters with a home run in their first career big-league at-bat:
Earl Averill: April 16, 1929
Jay Bell: Sept. 29, 1986
Kevin Kouzmanoff: Sept. 2, 2006
Jhonkensy Noel: tonight— Zack Meisel (@ZackMeisel) June 26, 2024
That’s an exclusive club right there: just four members, and Noel is one of them.
Considering the fact he hit 18 of those in just 65 games in Triple-A this season, there could be many more in store if he shows he can handle MLB velocity, breaking balls, and improved command.
It will be tough, but Noel has shown he can make adjustments.
His OPS in Triple-A last year, for example, was a rather mediocre .723 despite hitting 27 long balls.
He has improved that number by more than .200 points this year, cutting down on his strikeouts and lifting the ball more often.
If he keeps showcasing such easy power, his opportunities with the Guardians should increase.
Look out, because he might be up for the long haul.
NEXT: Video Shows Guardians Rookie's Former Teammates Celebrating His First MLB Homer
