Kyle Teel, one of the four top prospects the Boston Red Sox sent to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for Garrett Crochet, has been called up to the big leagues.
The White Sox announced the young catcher's promotion on June 5, and he's expected to debut on June 6. Teel slashed .295/.394/.492 with 10 doubles, a triple and eight homers over 50 games with Triple-A Charlotte.
Teel was billed as the Red Sox's catcher of the future while he came up in their minor league system alongside Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer. Crochet has been one of Boston's best players this year and the Red Sox's new catcher, Carlos Narváez, has filled the Teel-shaped hole in their roster.
The Red Sox front office has held up its end of the bargain after its blockbuster trade. It extended Crochet on a six-year, $170 million deal, and he's been excellent for Boston so far, with a 1.98 ERA and 101 strikeouts over 82 innings. Teel's performance will start to reveal the "winner" of the Crochet trade.
Former Red Sox catching prospect Kyle Teel will debut for White Sox on June 6
Along with Teel, the Red Sox shipped Chase Meidroth, Braden Montgomery and Wikelman Gonzalez to Chicago for Crochet. MLB got an early look at Meidroth when he was promoted on April 11, and he's already asserted himself as a key part of Chicago's lineup. He's slashing .312/.401/.369 with 21 walks and 17 strikeouts over 40 games.
Montgomery, an outfield prospect, is still a ways from the majors and righty pitcher Gonzalez has only thrown 16.2 innings in Triple-A so far. It will be a good while before a formal "winner" of the offseason's blockbuster trade can be declared, but for now, the Red Sox seem to be in a good spot.
Crochet is locked up for the foreseeable future, and the White Sox may not have the same success signing any of the former Boston prospects long-term because their championship window is virtually nonexistent. But if Teel, Meidroth, Montgomery and Gonzalez become staples in Chicago's lineup in the next few years, they could have a decent case for the win, especially if the Red Sox don't win a World Series with Crochet. Meidroth and Teel's positions are both in areas of need for the Red Sox (Meidroth mostly plays shortstop, but he's also a solid second baseman), and if they end up being great big leaguers, Boston may have some regrets.
In 2025, though, Crochet is greater. He's the undisputed ace of the Red Sox's rotation and a guaranteed All-Star for the second consecutive year. Hopefully, Boston can win a championship with Crochet so it can put the "trade winner" debate to bed.