Orioles may have found a hidden gem whose spring performance cannot be ignored

Jhonkensy Noel found temporary success in Cleveland by committing to a unique hitting profile. He didn't hit for average or get on base; all he did was slug. Over half his hits went for extra bases, and he hit 13 homers in 67 games. As fun as the 2024 Big Christmas experience was, that kind of approach to offense is not ideal for sustaining success, and in 2025, things went downhill fast for Noel. By the end of the season, the Guardians decided they had seen enough and DFA'd him. Now, with the Baltimore Orioles, Noel will attempt to prove that he was more than a flash in the pan.

Every year, the Orioles play the waiver wire game of grabbing available castoffs and trying to sneak them through waivers to build up their minor league depth. Most of the time, nothing comes of these moves. These depth pieces either never play for the Orioles or have a brief but forgettable dance at the MLB level before disappearing forever.

Sometimes, though, these seemingly insignificant waiver claims turn into something much bigger. Three years ago, the Orioles snagged Ryan O'Hearn from the Royals for cash, and DFA'd him the same way they claimed Noel just to DFA him. O'Hearn had a great spring training with the Orioles, but there wasn't room for him on the opening-day roster. It wasn't long before he got his chance, though, and once he was called up, he made the most of the opportunity, carving out a role as a platoon DH/1B and eventually becoming an All-Star in his final year in Baltimore.

Is it possible the Orioles could have found their next O'Hearn in Noel?

If Noel wants to follow in O'Hearn's footsteps, he's already taken the first step by showing out at spring training. In 13 games, he slashed .381/.458/.714. More important than just the raw numbers is the process that went into achieving them. Noel, through his whole career, has been a big strikeout guy. In 2024, when he was good, his K rate was 31.8%; in 2025, when he was terrible, it increased to 34%. This spring training, he has struck out only 5 times, good for a K rate of 20.8%.

Spring training is a small sample size, so this could end up being nothing, but if the Orioles have managed to teach Noel better plate discipline, then that changes everything. Even if these non-strikeout at-bats don't turn into walks, if Noel can turn 12% of his at-bats that were strikeouts into at-bats that end with balls in play, his batting average and on-base percentage will bump up much closer to an acceptable level. Having those numbers a little higher, combined with his usual ability to slug, would be a much more stable offensive approach for Noel, allowing him to hang around at the major league level.

Similar to O'Hean, Noel most likely will not start the season in the majors, but over the course of a 162-game season, it's very likely the Orioles will need him at some point.