Red Sox first-round pick compares himself to MVP catcher

Boston Red Sox draft pick Kyle Teel mentioned Sunday night time after his choice that he compares himself to a just lately retired MVP catcher.

“I would say athleticism-wise, I compare myself to Buster Posey,” Teel mentioned, per MLB.com’s Ian Browne. “He was just a great athlete back there. He was amazing. So I would compare myself to him.”

The Red Sox took Teel with the 14th general pick out of the University of Virginia throughout Sunday’s occasion as they search their “first true stud catcher” since Jason Varitek, in accordance to Browne.

“Tek” was, mockingly, chosen 14th general within the 1994 MLB June Amateur Draft by the Seattle Mariners, earlier than being traded to Boston in 1997 earlier than his big-league debut. Varitek spent his whole profession with the Red Sox, making three All-Star groups, profitable two World Series titles and incomes each a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger award.

Teel is MLB Pipeline’s seventh-ranked novice prospect and having grown up in New Jersey, has at all times been a fan of Boston’s greatest rival, the New York Yankees.

“Growing up, it’s kind of funny, because I was a Yankees fan, but now I bleed red,” he mentioned, per Browne.

Teel mentioned he is “always looked up to” Varitek, who presently serves because the Red Sox recreation planning coordinator.

Whether Teel aspires to be the subsequent Boston captain sometime (Varitek was the final to maintain the position), or he hopes to craft a resumé related to a possible future Hall-of-Famer in Posey, both one shall be a tricky job.

The San Francisco Giants selected Posey fifth general within the 2008 draft and the backstop made his MLB debut late within the 2009 marketing campaign. The Florida State product performed his whole 12-plus yr profession with the Giants, capturing each the NL MVP and batting crown in 2012, whereas additionally including a Rookie of the Year honor, seven All-Star nods, 5 Silver Slugger awards and a Gold Glove.

Along with Barry Bonds, Madison Bumgarner and others, Posey is among the finest Giants gamers from the twenty first century. Bumgarner and Posey helped lead San Francisco to three World Series titles in 5 years, incomes the crown in 2010, 2012 and 2014.