Kyle Teel is a player who could assimilate into any need of the team that picks him in the MLB Draft.
Virginia's catcher by trade has spent time in the outfield and has the athleticism to play in the infield — and not just first base, the usual spot for a player who moves out from behind the plate.
If Teel does, however, remain a catcher, he could end up an elite prospect at a position where having a bat is considered a rarity and a boon. Teel has been nothing short of incredible at the plate for the Cavaliers this season, hitting .407 with an OPS of 1.130. Even more impressive, he's slugging .655 with 13 home runs. All of these are college career bests.
Teel has a strong, accurate arm defensively, and he caught 15 of 24 would-be stealers against him throughout the year.
🎯 from @KyleTeel9 #GoHoos
— Virginia Baseball (@UVABaseball) June 9, 2023
📺: ESPN2 | #GoHoos pic.twitter.com/YT1QdkqsD9
Teel, the Buster Posey Catcher of the Year award winner, has top-10 pick potential for his combination of offense and defense. Any team who drafts him will likely do what it can to keep him beyond the plate. But if he has to play elsewhere, Teel certainly has the capability to do so.
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Kyle Teel scouting report
A catcher with an extremely impressive arm and plus prowess at the plate for the position, Teel is likely the best collegiate catcher among draft prospects.
With a caught stealing percentage of 62.5 percent (nine steals allowed on 24 attempts), Teel's arm has impressed MLB scouts. In fact, M-SABR's William Gregory believes it to be his strongest attribute, grading it at 65 (15 points above average, on the way to very good).
Teel has oscillated between hitting for contact and power, settling into his Goldilocks zone in 2023. He hit just .276 with six home runs in 2022, and has massively jumped this season, hitting .407 with 13 home runs. Teel's .414 batting average in the regular season netted him an ACC batting title. Furthermore, Teel is a left-handed bat, making him more valuable to a lineup.
With how rare it is to find catchers who are plus offensively, Teel massively helps his stock by that virtue alone.
Also relative to his position, Teel runs fairly well. He swiped five bases in 2023 and was caught just once, making him that much more valuable if a team manages to keep him behind the dish. Defensively, Teel catches from a knee, which some organizations may care about more than others. He has an exaggerated framing motion, but he does do well to get down and smother balls in the dirt.
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Kyle Teel MLB comparison
Teel's combination of a strong bat and the ability to throw runners out puts him in the company of some solid MLB catchers.
His caught-stealing rate is somewhat misleading. Many baseball analysts will say players steal off the pitcher just as much as the catcher, and Teel's arm strength lends itself to that theory. Furthermore, baseball's current rules make it harder to throw players out than ever.
With all of that in mind, a comparison for Teel could well be the Phillies' J.T. Realmuto. Realmuto brings speed and power to the offensive side of the ball while being outstanding defensively. While Teel may not join Realmuto in the 20 home runs/20 steals club, his well-rounded game has shades of the Phillies backstop.
Teel also brings the versatility of the Dodgers' Austin Barnes, who has been known to fill in at different positions for Dave Roberts.
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Where will Kyle Teel be drafted?
Teel could well end up being a top-10 pick, thanks to his versatility and hitting at a premium defensive position.
The Athletics at No. 6 or the Royals at No. 8 could be viable landing spots for Teel. Though both teams have impact catchers -- Shea Langeliers and Salvador Perez, respectively -- Teel's ability to play elsewhere doesn't necessarily create a logjam at the position when he does progress through the minors.
Both teams have successfully developed catchers in the past, so if they end up sticking to what they know, Teel is the best option.