Kyle Teel

Kyle Henry Teel (born February 15, 2002) is an American professional baseball catcher in the Boston Red Sox organization.

Amateur career
Teel grew up in Mahwah, New Jersey, and attended Mahwah High School. On the baseball team he played shortstop primarily, as well as outfielder, pitcher, and catcher. He had a .574 batting average in 61 at bats with eight home runs and 31 RBIs as a junior. Teel was named the New Jersey Gatorade Player of the Year during his senior year. He also was the starting quarterback of Mahwah's football team.

Teel was considered a top high school catching prospect in the 2020 MLB draft, but opted out. After graduating high school, he played summer collegiate baseball for the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters of the Northwoods League, and posted a .258/.348/.392 slash line in 97 at bats.

Teel played as a designated hitter (19 games), right fielder (19 games), and catcher (15 games) as a freshman at the University of Virginia, and was named third-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) at designated hitter after slashing .335/.416/.526 with 70 hits, nine home runs, and 41 RBIs in 209 at bats. He slashed .276/.402/.439 with 12 doubles, six home runs, and 45 RBIs in 221 at bats during his sophomore season, playing primarily catcher. After the season, Teel played collegiate summer baseball with the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod Baseball League, and was selected to play for the United States collegiate national team.

Teel entered his junior season as a projected first round pick in the 2023 MLB draft. On May 22, 2023, Teel was named ACC Player of the Year in baseball. In late June, he was named the 2023 recipient of the Buster Posey Award, a national catcher of the year award. He was also a consensus selection to the 2023 College Baseball All-America Team.

Professional career
Teel was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the first round, with the 14th overall selection, of the 2023 Major League Baseball draft. On July 21, 2023, Teel signed with the Red Sox, reportedly for a $4 million signing bonus. He made his professional debut on August 3, in the Florida Complex League (FCL) with the FCL Red Sox. He was promoted to the High-A Greenville Drive on August 9.

Teel began the 2024 season with the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs, ranked as the Red Sox' number three minor-league prospect by Baseball America.