Red Sox First-Round Pick Compares Himself To This MVP Winner

The Red Sox might have brought in their catcher of the future Sunday night.

Boston used its first pick in the 2023 Major League Baseball Draft on Kyle Teel, who was widely regarded as the best backstop in this year’s class. Teel also was commonly projected to be taken inside the top 10 Sunday, so when he slid to No. 14, the Red Sox made a “no-brainer” decision in drafting the Virginia product.

Shortly after Boston made the pick, Teel spoke with the media on a conference call where he denounced his Yankees fandom and vocalized his admiration for Jason Varitek, among other talking topics. The 21-year-old also was asked to identify a big-league comparison, and Teel aimed high.

“I would say athleticism-wise, I compare myself to Buster Posey,” Teel told reporters, per MLB.com. “He was just a great athlete back there. He was amazing. So I would compare myself to him.”

Teel obviously has his work cut out for him in trying to mirror Posey’s résumé, which includes three World Series titles, seven All-Star selections, five Silver Slugger Awards, the 2012 National League MVP Award and a battling title. But if the New Jersey native plays behind the dish in Boston for “a long time” as he hopes, the draft pick could prove to be a steal for the Red Sox.