Former Boston Red Sox catching prospect Kyle Teel is settling into his new home.
Teel, the premier return the Chicago White Sox netted from Boston in exchange for starting pitcher Garrett Crochet this past offseason, is making quite an impression. The 23-year-old has only logged three appearances with the Charlotte Knights — the White Sox’s Triple-A affiliate — and it’s been enough for Teel to raise eyebrows similarly to when he was climbing the minor league ladder as a Red Sox prospect.
The 14th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft has gone 6-for-12 with the Knights, hitting two home runs with a double and nine RBIs. Teel, the current No. 32 prospect in baseball, went deep during Charlotte’s 12-4 victory over the Gwinnett Stripers on Saturday night and drove in a career-high six runs, finishing a triple shy of hitting for the cycle.
“I have a lot of fun playing the game with this group of guys,” Teel said postgame Saturday night, per team-provided video. “Gotta give credit to our pitching staff tonight. They did a hell of a job, and one through nine, we hit the ball well.”
Teel earned himself a promotion from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester in August of last season, alongside former teammates Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony. Together, Teel, Mayer and Anthony were nicknamed the “Big Three.” Teel was projected to become the next great Red Sox catcher, but with the inevitable unpredictability that comes with professional baseball’s business side, that plan changed — slightly.
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Back in Boston, Teel has gotten a glimpse of what’s soon to come. Former Worcester teammate Kristian Campbell earned a spot on the Red Sox’s Opening Day roster and has been on a tear ever since, becoming the first Boston rookie with five or more hits through his first three games since Xander Bogaerts (2014). Teel can’t control when that call-up arrives, however, he’s been tremendous at excelling in areas within his control.
When Teel first heard about the trade to Chicago, the young up-and-comer was surprised but joined the White Sox with the correct mindset.
“I am going in excited and I have goals, big goals,” Teel told 670 The Score’s “Bernstein & Harris Show” in December. “So I’m really excited to come in and help create a winning culture and that’s where my mind’s at right now.”
The White Sox are in the midst of a severe rebuilding stage. Last season, the club finished with a dreadful 121 losses, the most of any team in the modern era. Chicago moved on from Crochet and infielder Yoán Moncada, now of the Los Angeles Angels. So whenever Teel does get his call, the pressure won’t be weighing over his shoulders, and the White Sox will have an open field for him to grow and develop.
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Should Teel continue to give pitchers problems in Triple-A, the Virginia product shouldn’t wait much longer until stepping onto a big league diamond in Chicago.
