The focus of the future for the Boston Red Sox remains with their “Big 3” group of prospects. Lately, it’s Kyle Teel’s turn to shine in the spotlight.
Teel got off to a cold start in April, hitting just .213 with Double-A Portland in the opening month. The 2023 first-rounder clearly got comfortable in May, hitting .357 with three homers and a 1.003 OPS for the month.
His situational production is also on the rise, as the Red Sox’s top catching prospect has turned back-to-back games in Portland’s current series against the Altoona Curve, the Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
On Friday, the Sea Dogs trailed 6-3 in the ninth with Teel facing his final strike. The Red Sox prospect smashed a game-tying, three-run homer out to the rollercoaster beyond the right field fence in an eventual 8-6 win for Portland.
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Fast forward to Saturday. Portland once again trailed in the ninth inning. Once again, Teel embraced the pressure of the moment and did damage. The left-handed hitter launched a go-ahead grand slam for Portland, turning a two-run deficit into a two-run lead in an eventual 11-8 extra-innings win for the Red Sox affiliate.
For those doing the math at home, that’s seven (!) RBI in the ninth inning over a two-game stretch.
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The Red Sox have no shown their cards as to when one of the top prospects, with Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony in the conversation with Teel, could make the jump on a promotion to Triple-A Worcester.
Teel is yet to reach a calendar year in the Red Sox system. Nonetheless, the Virginia product is doing everything he can to knock on the door of the next step in his development.
Featured image via Chris Cameron
