Kyle Teel’s blazing-hot performance in Triple-A has created an interesting dilemma for the White Sox regarding his positional home moving forward. It appears we now have some insight into the team’s plans. Teel told White Sox beat writer Scott Merkin of MLB.com that he has been taking ground balls at first base pregame the last couple of days, a significant development regarding his potential path to the big leagues.
Teel’s Scorching Hot Month
Teel, 23, has been crushing the ball in Triple-A as of late. In 22 games in May, he hit .333 with a .444 on-base percentage, .613 slugging percentage, and a 1.057 OPS, along with six doubles, five home runs, four stolen bases, and 16 runs scored. He also walked 15 times and has reached base safely in 21 out of his last 22 contests.
The baseball world has noticed Teel’s work. He earned the International League Player of The Week Award from May 19 – May 25 and the White Sox May Minor League Player of The Month Award earlier today. All told, he is hitting .289/.394/.491 with eight home runs in 48 games for the Triple-A Charlotte Knights this season.
White Sox Catching Logjam
Teel has proven that he is ready for the big leagues. There is one problem, however. He has played catcher almost exclusively in Triple-A this season, while Edgar Quero and Korey Lee occupy that position at the MLB level. Both figure to be in the long-term plans on the South Side and neither seem at risk of losing their spot, even with Quero struggling of late.
The team recently traded veteran catcher Matt Thaiss to the Rays to clear up the logjam at the position, but Teel forcing the issue has once again created a glut at the catcher spot. Carrying three catchers is possible, but Teel needs everyday at-bats. With Quero and Lee in the fold, consistent playing time behind the plate will be tough to come by moving forward.
Opening At First Base
First base, on the other hand, is currently wide open for the White Sox at the MLB level. Andrew Vaughn, the long-time starter at the position, was surprisingly optioned to Triple-A last week after being one of the worst-qualified hitters in MLB this season. Tim Elko, the logical replacement for Vaughn at first base, was also sent back down to Triple-A as part of those roster moves.
Miguel Vargas and Lenyn Sosa have filled in at first base since the departure of Vaughn and Elko, but neither has cemented themselves as a primary starter at the position. Vargas has played primarily third base this season and is likely more valuable at that position moving forward. Sosa is not a natural first baseman by trade either and has only played there out of necessity.
Potential Position Change
It is worth noting that Teel has never played first base professionally or even at the college level. Unlike the organization’s previous decisions to move natural first basemen like Andrew Vaughn and Gavin Sheets to the outfield, Teel should not encounter that many growing pains defensively at first base. Being a catcher requires a fair amount of athleticism, and Teel even has some outfield experience dating back to his college days. There is a natural opening for him to get everyday at-bats at the MLB level at first base right now, and it is perhaps his most straightforward path to Chicago.
White Sox Future Roster Possibly Taking Shape
When the White Sox acquired Teel from the Red Sox in last offseason’s blockbuster Garrett Crochet trade, questions immediately emerged regarding future roster construction. Edgar Quero was already in the organization by that point, and choosing Teel as one of the headliners in that trade meant that the team now had two long-term options behind the plate. With that logjam becoming a more pressing issue, having Teel play first base for now is a solid middle ground. He will likely still get reps behind the plate and having quality depth is a good problem. Teel playing first base would create more lineup versatility and allow manager Will Venable to put a better team on the field moving forward.
