Who is Kyle Teel? Everything you need to know about White Sox’s top catcher prospect who recently made MLB debut

In Friday’s game against the Kansas City Royals, the Chicago White Sox's starting lineup featured a new name, Kyle Teel, after the club gave him a promotion from Triple-A. He ranks as the No. 2 prospect in the White Sox's system and No. 26 overall by MLB.com.

In his debut, Teel walked twice and secured a hit and a run in two plate appearances, coming in the White Sox's 7-2 win. The impressive debut has turned the spotlight on Teel and fans want to know more about him.

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Everything to know about Kyle Teel

Kyle Henry Teel was born on Feb. 15, 2002, in Ridgewood, New Jersey. As per an old newspaper from Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, his grandfather and great-uncles — John, Hank Sr. and other family members — played football and baseball at Ridgefield Park High School in the 1940s.

His father, Garett Teel, was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers and played professionally before becoming a coach at Paramus Catholic. His mother, Janine Libutti, was an All-American softball pitcher at William Paterson University.

Growing up in Mahwah, New Jersey, Teel played shortstop in high school. He was named the New Jersey Gatorade Player of the Year during his senior year.

He further honed his skills at the University of Virginia. After slashing .335/.416/.526 with 70 hits, nine home runs and 41 RBIs in 209 at-bats, Teel earned a third-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) selection.

In his sophomore season, Teel played as a catcher, hitting .276/.402/.439 with 12 doubles, six home runs and 45 RBIs in 221 at-bats. He also had experience playing collegiate summer baseball with the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod Baseball League and the United States collegiate national team.

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The Boston Red Sox took him as the No. 14 pick in the 2023 MLB draft. He earned a reported signing bonus of $4 million.

With the Red Sox, Teel represented several of their minor league affiliates, including the FCL Red Sox, High-A Greenville Drive, the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs and the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox.

However, in December, he was part of a trade for Garrett Crochet on his way to the White Sox alongside Braden Montgomery, Chase Meidroth and Wikelman González.

About the author

Krutik Jain is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2022. It was in 2018 when the baseball bug bit Krutik, and already a cricket fan, he credits baseball's rules and Clayton Kershaw's pitching to have hooked him to the game.

A Kershaw and Mookie Betts fan, Krutik rates his favorite team LA Dodgers triumphing over Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series as his best baseball moment so far. His answer to the perennial "one player from the past you could meet" question is Jackie Robinson. Despite never having seen him play, Robinson's impact, legacy and trail-blazing journey have left an indelible impact on Krutik.

A rigorous fact-checker, Krutik likes reporting on the technical aspects of the game as well as off-field elements. When not watching baseball, Krutik is busy playing cricket, staying up to date with the happenings around the world and hiking.

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Edited by Veer Badani