Red Sox select Virginia catcher Kyle Teel 14th overall

The Boston Red Sox selected Virginia catcher Kyle Teel with the 14th pick in the 2023 MLB Draft.

Widely considered the top catcher in the class, the 21-year-old is a highly polished hitter with an elite arm for catching would-be base stealers from behind the dish. Teel has also seen time in the outfield, but his leadership makes him a prime candidate to stick at catcher.

Bio

Age: 21
Position: C
Height/Weight: 6-1, 190 lbs
Bats/Throws: L/R
School: Virginia
Pick value (#14): $4,663,100

Tools

• 60-grade arm is considered premium, especially with increased stolen bases in MLB
• Advanced plate discipline with all-fields approach

Why fans will love this player

• .407 batting average and 1.130 OPS over 65 games last season
• High baseball IQ makes him ideal catcher
• Considered top 100 prospect out of high school but withdrew due to pandemic-shortened event

Things he'll need to overcome

• Power needs to develop
• Struggled in wooden-bat Cape Cod League

Take a look ...

(Video source: MLB Pipeline)