Kyle Teel didn't make the White Sox Opening Day roster out of spring training, but that has not stopped him from doing everything he can to force the issue regarding a potential call up in the near future. The White Sox young catcher prospect is scorching hot offensively at the AAA level to begin the season and is a player to watch moving forward.
Teel's Impressive Spring
The #2 prospect in the White Sox organization and the #32 prospect in MLB, the 23-year-old left-handed hitting Teel has been impressive since joining the White Sox as part of the Garrett Crochet trade with the Boston Red Sox this past offseason. Teel immediately showed his potential and generated national headlines by homering off Roki Sasaki in a practice game early in spring training. He also mashed in regular spring training action, hitting .316 with two home runs, a .435 on-base percentage, and a 1.119 OPS. Teel was one of the best hitters in White Sox camp and proved that he belonged in the same lineup as the team's big league position players.
Scorching Hot Start In AAA
There was a legitimate argument that Teel deserved a spot on the White Sox Opening Day roster. His performance in the spring warranted it. He would have undoubtedly made the team if the roster was assembled based solely on talent. However, the organization decided against that and started him with the AAA Charlotte Knights to begin the 2025 season in order to gain more experience and minor league seasoning.
Teel is picking up right where he left off in spring. He had one of the best games of his professional career tonight, collecting three hits, including a double and a home run. He drove in six runs tonight alone and was a triple short of the cycle. Teel already has two home runs and eight RBI in just two AAA games. White Sox manager Will Venable said he is paying attention to the minor leagues and mentioned that several prospects are close to the big leagues. If Teel's recent performance is any indication, he is getting closer to Chicago by the day.
White Sox Youth Movement Will Begin Soon
Korey Lee and Matt Thaiss are the current catching duo for the White Sox, but Teel and fellow prospect Edgar Quero are the future at the position. For Teel specifically, he could get his chance sooner rather than later. A mid-April call-up is not out of the realm of possibility, as that would grant the White Sox an additional year of control of his services and a much needed boost to the big league lineup.
Kyle Teel will likely be among the first top prospects in the White Sox organization to make his MLB debut in 2025. Given his success in AAA and being 23 years old, it is only a matter of time before he gets the call to the big leagues. Whenever that happens, he will immediately become one of the most intriguing players on the White Sox roster.
