The White Sox need to get both Edgar Quero and Kyle Teel in the lineup every day

When the Chicago White Sox landed Kyle Teel in a trade with the Red Sox this offseason, it received a mixed reaction from the baseball world.

Trading Garrett Crochet was no surprise, and neither was landing a prospect of Kyle Teel’s caliber, but acquiring Teel himself was an interesting choice for the White Sox given the presence of top 100 catching prospect Edgar Quero already on the roster.

White Sox GM Chris Getz defended the choice to acquire another catcher, reinforcing how confident the White Sox felt in their future at a premium position. 

I think most people expected to see either Quero or Teel trying out a different position during Spring Training with the goal of having both in the Major League lineup. Teel seemed like a more logical choice to flex out from behind the plate due to his athleticism and outfield experience in college.

However, neither Teel or Quero have spent time away from catcher and DH this season, even in the minor leagues. It begs questions about the future plan.

Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero are both on the Major League roster now, and with the exception of a few innings late in a game, both players are yet to play anywhere on the field other than Catcher.

In addition, Will Venable has shown some hesitancy to put them in the same lineup together. They are splitting at-bats despite being two of Chicago's more productive hitters this season.

With the White Sox rebuilding and looking to give opportunities to younger players, having two of their top prospects only playing in half the games is far from ideal. The White Sox need to find a way to get them both in the lineup together. It can, and should be done, and here are some ways it can happen.

Give Edgar Quero reps at first base 

It’s a small sample size, but Kyle Teel has looked like the superior defensive catcher so far this season. With Ryan Noda on the IL and Tim Elko struggling so far in his brief Major League stints, the White Sox don’t have a definite answer at first base, and giving Edgar Quero some reps there could solve multiple problems.

Quero doesn’t quite have the power of a typical first baseman, but his contact skills are legit, and the Sox could always find power at other positions. Regardless of his power, Quero is more productive offensive player than Ryan Noda, Tristan Gray, or Tim Elko at this point.

This doesn’t mean Quero plays first base full-time. The Sox could still rotate him behind the plate and at DH, but giving him some games at first could be an opportunity to get both him and Teel in the lineup at the same time. 

Call Up Korey Lee 

Another option for the White Sox is to call up Korey Lee. Lee would provide an emergency catcher in case of an injury, and could also rotate in at first base and DH himself.

The Sox are currently carrying five outfielders on the active roster, which is not necessary.

While none of the outfielders on the roster are going to be optioned, the trade deadline is quickly approaching and the White Sox seem likely to move at least one of their veteran outfielders.

Lee could be the replacement on the roster that would allow the Sox to put two catchers in the lineup without worries. 

The White Sox need to take a risk

The other option for the White Sox have is to simply play the odds.

Many fans will remember the game earlier this season where pitcher Tyler Alexander had to take an at-bat because the White Sox lost the DH. But this scenario is rare and the White Sox shouldn’t risk the development of their young prospects at the expense of losing a game in what will likely be a 100+ loss season anyway.

In order for this situation to be costly, both Teel and Quero would have to be in the lineup, and whichever one of them is catching would have to get hurt, forcing the other one to play the field and forfeiting the DH. Even if this does happen, the Sox could simply use a pinch hitter when the pitcher’s spot comes up, and it would take more injuries or an extra inning game to even get to a situation where they’re out of bench players and the pitcher would need to hit.

With Edgar Quero, Kyle Teel, Colson Montgomery, Chase Meidroth, and more on the Major League roster, the White Sox have turned themselves from a boring bottom-feeder to an exciting young team. They need to take every opportunity they can to give young players opportunities to become the future stars of this team.

The White Sox best lineup has both Edgar Quero and Kyle Teel in it, and Will Venable needs to find a way to make that a reality.