Kyle Teel’s breakout and Edgar Quero’s upside have created a rare surplus for the White Sox behind the plate — and MLB teams are taking notice.
Coming out of the GM Meetings in Las Vegas, there’s plenty of chatter around the Chicago White Sox and their surplus of young catching.
Both Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero put together encouraging rookie campaigns in 2025. But as the season played out, it became clear that Teel — with a .786 OPS and 1.9 fWAR — was the more advanced of the two.
If you were taking bets on who Chicago’s catcher of the future is right now, Teel would be the runaway favorite. Still, having two talented young catchers has never hurt anybody.
Quero showed a mature approach at the plate and started to tap into his power as the season went on. He’ll still be just 22 years old on Opening Day 2026, and there’s plenty of room for him to develop into a true all-around threat.
Nobody should be shocked if both Teel and Quero take another step and perform at an All-Star level down the road. And that’s exactly what made the Garrett Crochet trade with Boston so fascinating in the first place.
The White Sox got a haul of prospects in return — including yet another high-end catching prospect as a headliner — while Quero was already a Top-100 guy behind the dish.
Now, just one year later, teams around the league needing catching help are calling the White Sox and checking in on the availability of Edgar Quero.
Francys Romero (@francysromeroFR) on X
Multiple MLB teams are interested in acquiring 22-year-old Cuban catcher Edgar Quero.
The price the White Sox would demand will be high.
So what should White Sox fans make of all this?
For starters, remember what GM Chris Getz already said about this potential roster jam — and he didn’t sound remotely motivated to make a trade happen this offseason.
“There could be a time for reallocation or repurpose to make the roster a little bit more functional. Is that time now? I don't think so. But down the road, you never know," Getz told James Fegan.
That’s the exact right mindset.
It feels too early for the White Sox to deal from a surplus before they know exactly what they have in this young core. Even if teams continue calling, a deal isn’t likely right now.
Still, there’s nothing wrong with being open-minded when multiple players at the same position have high ceilings. An organization can never have too much talent.
Look no further than shortstop: Colson Montgomery looks like the future at the position. Yet Caleb Bonemer turned himself into a Top-100 prospect this year while playing shortstop in the minors. And the Sox still drafted shortstop Billy Carlson with the 10th overall pick in 2025. They may draft another one next year.
And that’s fine. Because you can always repurpose players, swing a big trade, or give yourself an insurance policy.
That’s why Getz is handling these Quero calls perfectly: He has no reason to trade him. He doesn’t want to trade him. But he’ll listen — and that’s his job.
And if the White Sox did move Edgar Quero this offseason, the return would likely exceed what Quero brought to Chicago as a rookie. Catching is a premium position. Teams without it get desperate. Desperation leads to overpaying, especially when the seller has this much leverage.
Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad thing if Kyle Teel became the full-time catcher and Quero helped land Chicago a star outfielder who fits in the next contention window.
One thing I’d encourage White Sox fans to keep in mind: only one player can catch at a time — and Teel looks like he’s on a trajectory to be the better player.
A huge part of Teel’s value comes from the athleticism and offense he gives you from a premium position that rarely produces impact bats. If Teel moves to a corner outfield spot, first base, or DH, giving you average defense and similar offensive numbers, does he still provide the same edge? Probably not. He’s most valuable at catcher.
And if Teel is catching 120 games a year, that leaves Quero with about 40 games behind the plate. So trading him wouldn’t mean the organization doesn’t believe in him — it might simply mean they believe even more in Kyle Teel and want to maximize his value.
I’m open to that outcome. I’m not advocating for it this offseason, but I trust Chris Getz not to force the issue.
And if something does go down, I think White Sox fans will come away feeling good about where this organization is headed.