Homer against Roki Sasaki makes White Sox’ Kyle Teel a back field backstop sensation

GLENDALE, Ariz. — You know it was a rough day for the White Sox when the highlight was a home run during a live batting practice, simulated game exercise on the spring training complex back fields.

While the Sox were getting walloped by the Colorado Rockies in a Cactus League game 45 minutes away Tuesday in Scottsdale, a collection of six Sox prospects and non-roster invitees faced the Dodgers’ new highly touted Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki in Glendale. One of them was left-handed hitting catcher Kyle Teel, the No. 32 prospect per MLB Pipleline, and Teel demonstrated where the projections stem from by hitting Sasaki’s second pitch over the fence.
As the ball took flight, so did Teel’s following on Instagram, as well as his interest level from Japanese media.

On Wednesday, Teel was the center of attention in the Sox clubhouse, with media and teammates, including one — pitcher Jonathan Cannon — posing as media with questions of his own.

“Did you run the bases after you hit the home run?” Cannon asked.

Cannon may have implied that it’s not really a home run without the trot, and Teel’s answer was “no.” But it was something to tout for the Sox, who have little but prospects like Teel and left-handers Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith, to embrace these days.

“I’ve caught both of them and they both have electric stuff,” said Teel, who came from the Red Sox in the rebuild trade for All-Star left-hander Garrett Crochet in December. “My first time catching Noah I was like, ‘Dang, I don’t know what it’s going to be like to hit this guy.’ I haven’t faced him in lives but I can’t imagine it’s a comfortable at-bat, being on the left side. And Hagen Smith, first ball he threw to me was 99 miles an hour and I was like ‘wow that’s impressive.’ ’’

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Schultz and Smith, pitching the fifth and sixth innings against the Padres in Glendale Wednesday, respectively, were making the first appearances in the Cactus League.

 This left-handed pitching tandem, generally considered the top pair of prospect southpaws in baseball, gives the Sox brain trust something to feel good about. Teel and switch-hitting catcher Edgar Quero present an area in the rebuild where the Sox can feel somewhat satisfied, too.

Teel felt good about taking Sasaki deep, but he knows it’s nothing more than one good moment that gained a lot of attention.

“I didn’t know it was going to be with him until he hopped on the mound,” Teel said. “On the schedule I’m pretty sure it just said ‘live at-bats, Dodgers side.”

Sasaki retired the next six batters and finished with three

“It was cool you know. Just getting work in, getting things done on the backfields, working on my ball flight that day and it ended up being good ball flight, so.

“In the moment I just needed to get my work in. I just need to focus on my process.”

Teel and catcher Korey Lee each have a stolen base and Teel scored from first on a double, flashing speed not always seen in a catcher.

“It’s really important to be athletic out there,” Teel said. “I put a lot of work in during the offseason to be fast and explosive. Whatever I can do to help the team. If I can run fast I can score more runs.

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“It’s good to be a fast catcher. The position is becoming more athletic.”

Sox manager Will Venable saw Teel connect before heading over to Scottsdale.

“He’s as good an athlete back there as I’ve seen,” Venable said. “And I know that he understands that that’s going to be something that he leans on.”

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