Too many catchers? No such thing for White Sox, who welcome Kyle Teel to big leagues
Introduction to the Problem
The White Sox have finally put their good problem into practice. General manager Chris Getz has long insisted there’s nothing wrong with having multiple good catchers. Now the Sox have a pair of highly rated catching prospects at the major league level after the team promoted Kyle Teel to the bigs Friday.
The New Catcher
Teel was the headlining prospect in the four-player package the Sox received in the Garrett Crochet trade and slashed .295/.394/.492 in 50 games at Triple-A Charlotte. He joined Edgar Quero as top-100 catching prospects to get the call to the majors this season, a pair of rebuild highlights on the South Side. Korey Lee, another catcher the Sox are fond of, was sent down to Charlotte.
How it Will Work
How is this going to work, two catchers who figure to be big parts of the Sox’ future vying for the same playing time? It’ll be a timeshare, though no split was specified by either Getz or manager Will Venable, who said both players will DH, too. “The catching position is such a demanding role,” Getz said Friday. “To have two guys that are capable, it can help you in so many different ways. To keep them energized and to be able to get the best out of them, having two of them is not a bad thing.
Benefits of Having Two Catchers
Sometimes, if there’s a certain element of someone’s game that needs to be worked on, it’s tough to really dial in if they’re playing so often. So to get a little bit of a rest and continue to develop and work with our coaches on certain aspects is a great opportunity. “We’re looking at it as a positive. I think it is a real positive. If we feel like one player isn’t getting enough reps to stay sharp and continue to progress, you make an adjustment.”
Teel’s Debut
Teel, ranked as baseball’s No. 26 prospect, was the starting catcher in his major league debut Friday. He went 1-for-2 with a couple walks and scampered home on an eighth-inning wild pitch. As for the idea that Teel could play another position after playing outfield in college and revealing he’s been taking grounders at first base, that doesn’t seem likely to occur in the big leagues. “Kyle is very athletic,” Getz said. “He’s capable of playing multiple positions, quite honestly, but we believe in him as a catcher. That’s where we feel like he’s going to impact the game the most. “In the near term, I certainly don’t expect him to be playing first base.”
Robert Returns
After three days out of the lineup, Luis Robert Jr. returned Friday and played hero. The center fielder’s two-run single broke a 2-all tie in the eighth inning, which saw the Sox score thrice more on a wild pitch and two Royals errors. The five-run frame powered the Sox to a 7-2 win. Robert went 2-for-3 with a walk.
Packed House
It was a livelier-than-usual crowd Friday at Rate Field, and no, it wasn’t because fans snapped up thousands of tickets in the wake of Thursday’s announcement of Justin Ishbia as a potential new Sox owner. Instead, 36,916 fans showed up for the team’s annual – and popular – Mexican Heritage Night, which included a jersey giveaway, for the Sox’ first sellout of the season. There was chatter that some fans even showed up around noon, hours before the gates opened. “The thing we put on the field tonight,” starting pitcher Davis Martin said, “I’m glad 36,000 people got to see it because that’s who we are.”
Conclusion
The White Sox are embracing the idea of having multiple talented catchers on their roster. With the promotion of Kyle Teel, they now have two highly rated catching prospects at the major league level. The team believes that having two capable catchers can help them in many ways, including keeping players energized and allowing for more development opportunities. As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see how the timeshare between Teel and Quero plays out.
FAQs
Q: Who is the new catcher for the White Sox?
A: The new catcher for the White Sox is Kyle Teel, who was promoted to the big leagues on Friday.
Q: How will the playing time be split between Teel and Quero?
A: The playing time will be split between Teel and Quero, though no specific split was specified by the team.
Q: Can Teel play other positions besides catcher?
A: While Teel is athletic and capable of playing multiple positions, the team believes he will have the most impact as a catcher.
Q: What was the attendance like for the game on Friday?
A: The attendance was 36,916, the team’s first sellout of the season, thanks in part to the popular Mexican Heritage Night.
