MLB Writer Predicts When First-Rounder Kyle Teel Will Debut With Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox not only landed a solid player when they selected Kyle Teel with the 14th overall pick in the 2023 Major League Baseball Draft.

They also chose a prospect who could rise quickly through the system.

ESPN’s David Schoenfield on Monday identified which player from each MLB team’s 2023 draft class is most likely to reach the majors first. His prediction for the Red Sox: Teel, a catcher from the University of Virginia who many experts expected to be drafted earlier than No. 14 in Round 1.

Schoenfield wrote in his explanation that Teel could follow in the footsteps of Henry Davis, a catcher drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates with the No. 1 overall pick in 2021, and debut with Boston in 2025.

“The recent results for first-round college catchers have been a little mixed,” Schoenfield wrote on ESPN.com. “(Adley) Rutschman and Henry Davis were first overall picks, and while Rutschman is already an All-Star and Davis just reached the majors with the Pirates, Davis has made all his starts in right field or DH. Joey Bart hasn’t hit, Shea Langeliers is struggling with the A’s and Zack Collins is in Triple-A. Will Smith is a stud and Kyle Schwarber is an outfielder. Teel’s left-handed swing should work well at Fenway and I think he’ll follow the path of Davis, drafted in 2021, and be up in two years (just as a catcher, not an outfielder).”

The Red Sox received rave reviews for landing Teel, a 21-year-old from New Jersey, as he’s an athletic backstop who’s drawn comparisons to former San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey. If Teel develops into anything resembling Posey, a seven-time All-Star and three-time World Series champion, it’ll be considered a steal for Boston.

Of course, it’s important not to set the bar too high, especially this early in Teel’s development. But it’s clear the Red Sox just added another intriguing prospect to their pipeline, with a quick ascent to the big leagues very much in play.