After changing Sox, Teel goes deep in first 2025 game

It didn't long for Kyle Teel to make his impact felt as a member of the Chicago White Sox organization.

Hot on the heels of an impressive spring campaign, MLB's No. 32 prospect mashed a pair of RBI knocks, including a towering home run to right field in Triple-A Charlotte's 9-1 win on Opening Night over visiting Gwinnett.

Teel has gotten off to a hot start since joining the South Siders as part of the return in a December 2024 trade with the Red Sox for ace Garrett Crochet. The catcher went 6-for-14 with a pair of homers in Cactus League action and before quickly making himself at home in Truist Field's hitter-friendly confines.

Batting cleanup as the designated hitter, Teel delivered from the jump when he grounded a ball through the right side in the first inning to score Chase Meidroth (CWS No. 8), another of the four prospects acquired for Crochet. Gwinnett right-hander Bryce Elder served up a 1-1 offering well below the zone, but Chicago's second-ranked prospect used his sound left-handed swing to drive the ball at 96 mph.

Four innings later, Teel delivered his biggest blow of the game after falling behind 0-2 to righty Amos Willingham. The 23-year-old pounced on a changeup left hanging over the plate and drove it 365 feet at 102.9 mph into the stands in right-center field.

"It all comes down to our approach," Teel said. "We're all trying to be aggressive at the plate and get our swings off. And that's what we did."

Teel is coming off a season in which he slugged 13 homers across 112 games and hit .288/.386/.433 between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester. If he continues to deliver, the 2023 first-rounder could be heading to Chicago before long.

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Teel wasn't the only Top 100 prospect to show off his bat on Friday. Shortstop Colson Montgomery (MLB No. 39) also went deep in the third, while catcher Edgar Quero (MLB No. 65) added a pair of singles and runs.