Kyle Teel made a name for himself as a two-sport high school athlete in New Jersey. He played both football and baseball, and during his senior year, he was named the New Jersey Gatorade Player of the Year.
He was a top catching prospect during the 2020 MLB Draft, but decided to go to the University of Virginia instead. There, he would become the ACC Player of the Year during his junior season and was selected in the first round of the 2023 MLB Draft by the Boston Red Sox.
However, ahead of the 2025 season, he would be traded to the Chicago White Sox as part of the Garrett Crochet trade. And in June, Teel would be selected to the 40-man roster, hitting his first home run on July 23.
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Everything points toward a massive offensive breakout for Kyle Teel in 2026
Teel would go on to play in 78 games last season, hitting .273/.375/.411 with eight home runs and 35 runs batted in. He did well, but would take a backseat to what Colson Montgomery did at the plate last year.
He was another youngster the White Sox decided to call up, and he was electric, hitting 21 home runs in 71 games.
While fans know what Montgomery can do, Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter tags Teel as Chicago’s biggest offensive breakout candidate.
“The White Sox kicked their youth movement into full swing last year, and while Colson Montgomery stole the show during the second half, Teel quietly put together an excellent debut season that left him looking like the catcher of the present and the future. He posted a .794 OPS with six home runs and 26 RBI in 46 games over the final two months of the season.”
Teel has all the tools to be a threat, but he is not the only one. Opposing pitchers will certainly want to watch how they pitch to Munetaka Murakami and Montgomery this season.
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