Cleveland Baseball Insider

LOOK: Guardians Postseason Hero Embraces Nickname During Offseason

Cleveland's Jhonkensy Noel recently wore an outfit that brought his holiday-themed nickname to life.

Logan Potosky

Oct 17, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians outfielder Jhonkensy Noel (43) hits a two-run home run during the ninth inning against the New York Yankees in game 3 of the American League Championship Series at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Oct 17, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians outfielder Jhonkensy Noel (43) hits a two-run home run during the ninth inning against the New York Yankees in game 3 of the American League Championship Series at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
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With Christmas just a week away, many are preparing to celebrate with decorations, gift giving, and holiday-themed outfits.

This includes the Cleveland Guardians, who recently had a player showcasing the latter.

On Wednesday, MLB posted a photo on X of Guardians right fielder Jhonkensy Noel embracing the holiday season by dressing up as Santa Claus.

The 23-year-old was wearing the outfit as part of an advertisement for Balsam Hill, a Christmas tree and décor company.

Noel received the nickname "Big Christmas" from Guardians Manager Stephen Vogt. And it certainly makes sense, as he stands at 6-foot-3, 250 pounds, and has a last name that translates to "Christmas" in French.

Noel etched his name into Cleveland postseason lore by giving the team a gift this past October. He hit a pinch-hit, game-tying, two-run home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning during Game 3 of the ALCS versus the New York Yankees.

This was the second pinch-hit, two-out, game-tying home run in the ninth inning-or-later of an MLB postseason game since at least 1903. And when it happened, TBS Play-by-Play Broadcaster Brian Anderson called it, "the ultimate present under the tree." Cleveland went on to win the game in 10 innings.

A baseball player swinging a baseball bat while wearing a white jersey, white pants, and a navy batting helmet.
Oct 17, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians outfielder Jhonkensy Noel (43) hits a two-run home run during the ninth inning against the New York Yankees in game 3 of the American League Championship Series at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

After being promoted from Triple-A Columbus on June 26, Noel remained with the Guardians for the rest of the season.

He displayed considerable power in 67 regular season games, recording 13 home runs, 28 RBI, and a .486 slugging percentage. Defensively, the Dominican Republic native tallied a pair of outfield assists from right field, and another two during the postseason.

After becoming a Cleveland mainstay this year, "Big Christmas" will look to give the team even more gifts on the field in 2025.

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Logan Potosky
LOGAN POTOSKY

Logan Potosky is an aspiring play-by-play sports broadcaster who, to date, has called approximately 350+ hours of professional, college, and high school sporting events. He is currently the Play-by-Play Broadcaster for the Lake County Captains, the High-A Affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians. He graduated from John Carroll University in May of 2023 with a degree in Communication, with a concentration in Digital Media, and a minor in Entrepreneurship.

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