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20 CAVALIER CORNER His first-year success also helped him land a spot on the prestigious USA Col- legiate National Team, the first of two stints with the elite collection of college baseball players each summer in Cary, N.C. In Vir- ginia history, only Teel and Sean Doolittle have played two summers with Team USA. The infamous grand slam foreshad- owed a knack for coming through with the bags full throughout his UVA career. As a second-year in 2022, Teel hit three more grand slams in a 22-day span from late February into the middle of March. He is the first Cavalier in the last 23 years to hit three grand slams in the same season. Teel continued his eye-popping success with the bases loaded into 2023. In his first 14 at-bats of his college career with the bases full, he collected 9 hits, including 4 home runs and a triple, while driving in an incredible 33 runs. Through 12 games this season, Teel was hitting .568 — first in the nation among players with at least 10 at- bats — with 2 home runs and 16 RBI. Probably his most impressive statistic in his time at Virginia has been his incredible ability to stay on the field, despite playing the most grueling and demanding position on the field. Last year, Teel started all 58 games at catcher for the Cavaliers. Only Justin Counts has started more games at the position in a single season when he started 64 in 1996. "Kyle Teel has got so much energy, he just loves to play the game," O'Connor said. "He just wants to be out there competing. He doesn't want to come out of the game, and he's a fierce competitor every day and so the innings played don't matter. "He wants to catch all the time. He wants to play all the time. I wish I had his energy for sure." His durability is admirable and grabbing attention nationally. In late February he was one of 65 players in the country to be named to the National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Award watch list. The honor places a high emphasis on durability, requiring a player to 75-80 percent of the games, a requirement Teel should have no problem attaining after the precedent he set as a second-year. The national attention also is an indicator about his future beyond college baseball. Major League Baseball teams covet some of the skills possessed by Teel as an athletic, left-handed hitting catcher with a plus-arm. Prior to his commitment to Virginia, Teel was considered to be a top-100 player out of high school. With his development under O'Connor and his staff, Teel now sits at the No. 28 overall prospect for the 2023 MLB Draft by MLB.com, which normally indicates a selection in the first or second round. No matter what happens beyond his time in Charlottesville, there is still a lot to be accom- plished as a collegiate player. Unlike his past baseball experiences, he'll be able to enjoy his junior season playing alongside his brother, Aidan, who is a first-year on this year's team. The two didn't get the chance to play to- gether in high school because Kyle's senior season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Aidan reclassified in high school and enrolled in college early to join his older brother. "I've coached a lot of players over the years, and this kid is very, very special," O'Connor said. "He's gifted with the bat, certainly, but there aren't many players that have the competitive spirit that he has." Through 12 games this season, Teel was hitting .568 — No. 1 in the nation among players with at least 10 at-bats — with 2 home runs and 16 RBI. (Photo by Matt Riley/courtesy UVA)