Sox Talk with Will Middlebrooks is a recurring content series on NESN.com. Middlebrooks, a former Red Sox player and current NESN analyst, gives his insight and opinion on pertinent Red Sox storylines throughout the season. You can read the latest stories from the series here.
Like Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony, top prospect Kyle Teel is just one step away from joining the Boston Red Sox after being promoted to Triple-A Worcester last week.
Teel will continue his development with Worcester for the time being, but 2013 Red Sox World Series champion Will Middlebrooks believes the 22-year-old catcher already possesses a certain skill that would play out well in the major leagues at this very moment.
"He is a very good hitter, but I think he is a defense-first guy," Middlebrooks told NESN.com. "I think defensively he is big-league ready right now. Just watching the way he receives pitches, the way he calls games, he's very good at blocking. He's got a very strong arm. His pop times are around 1.9, which is about league average right now in the big leagues, so there's room to grow."
Teel spent three seasons in college baseball, helping him become a polished product, maybe even more so at this point than Mayer and Anthony.
That helped Teel go through an expedited process in the Red Sox farm system as it was just over a year ago Boston selected the Virginia product at No. 14 overall. He quickly made his way through three levels of minor league baseball in just a matter of months and impressed throughout his climb, too.
The left-handed hitter batted .298 in 84 games with Double-A Portland this season, which was second-best in the Eastern League and only trailed Mayer. Teel also compiled 11 home runs and 60 RBIs to go along with nine stolen bases during his time with the Sea Dogs this year.
Triple-A has proven to be a challenge for Teel in the early going, though. He recorded just two hits in his first 21 at-bats entering play Wednesday. Teel will always have his quality defense to lean back on to stick in any lineup, but his hitting should come along like it has at other levels.
"Obviously, the bat plays," Middlebrooks said. "He actually runs a lot better than I thought he would. You see him move and you're like, 'That's a catcher?' Which we've seen that with Connor (Wong). He's not a Connor Wong-type speed guy, but he's also more built like a catcher."
Teel most often was compared to seven-time All-Star and 2012 National League MVP Buster Posey before he got drafted by the Red Sox. Teel's athleticism and ability to maneuver behind the plate reminded coaches and evaluators of Posey. That certainly would be a home run for the Red Sox if Teel morphs into that caliber of player.
Boston could see Teel bring his valuable skill set to the majors as soon as next season. The Red Sox could have an open catching spot next to Wong with Danny Jansen set to hit free agency.
But Teel doesn't have to be Posey or anybody else for that matter once he gets there.
"I hate comparing guys and saying like, 'Oh, this is his comp' because I don't want to say that's who he needs to be," Middlebrooks said. "No, he needs to be Kyle Teel because he's going to be a good player."
