The Boston Red Sox selected former Virginia catcher Kyle Teel with the No. 14 overall pick in Sunday’s MLB Draft, and of course baseball fans found a way to make it awkward.
If you’re an elite baseball player — one good enough to get drafted by an MLB team — odds are that you grew up rooting for a different team than the one that drafted you. And in Teel’s case, he grew up in New Jersey and was a huge Yankees fan. Right after the rival Red Sox announced the Teel selection, fans took a deep dive into his Instagram account and uncovered a photo of him wearing a Yankees jersey.
Red Sox first round pick Kyle Teel grew up a HUGE Yankee fan pic.twitter.com/2H4LnCLTlT
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 10, 2023
Obviously, growing up a Yankees fan won’t stop Teel from shifting his allegiance over to the Red Sox. After all, there’s a huge difference in rooting for a team and being an actual player in an organization. It’s a career now. Aaron Judge was photographed in a Red Sox shirt, for example, before he became a star for the Yankees. It happens!
Still, Teel made a point to delete that photo from his account (though the screenshot is still around), and he added that he was all in on the Red Sox now.
“Growing up, I was a Yankees fan, but now, I bleed Red." 🩸
Welcome to Boston, Kyle Teel.pic.twitter.com/ODcd1KUX7G
— Tyler Milliken ⚾️ (@tylermilliken_) July 10, 2023
But if Teel does end up becoming a star for the Red Sox, we already know that Yankees photo will follow him throughout his career. MLB fans didn’t wait to get a head start on the jokes.
This was how Twitter reacted
That’s crazy. Just as much as Aaron Judge draped in Red Sox attire.
🤷🏽♂️ https://t.co/POGB2uqfP1 pic.twitter.com/v2hq5rW4Ud
— Jeremy (@JKMJXH3) July 10, 2023
Almost as good when Ian Clarkin in his pre-draft video said he “cannot stand the Yankees” that played right after getting drafted by them. https://t.co/gV5bCHr2wh
— Will Privette (@Thrill21) July 10, 2023
Yankees superstar Aaron Judge is a Redsox fan lol https://t.co/zOjA8R51gS
— Benny Baseball (@BennyButtcheeks) July 10, 2023
this was legit my worst nightmare from like 5-9 when i thought i'd be in the MLB lmaooo https://t.co/48ZQVs5ECv
— Trent Kinard (@kinard_trent) July 10, 2023
So true pic unrelated https://t.co/kCrT8usNiL pic.twitter.com/ulfmjY4Ln1
— Cassidy Tesqua🌹⚧️ (@snazzeo) July 10, 2023
I’m sure he’s gonna be a sleeper agent for the Yankees once he gets in the system https://t.co/CzytMHwL7m
— andrew (@DiNucciMane) July 10, 2023
Just died a second time. https://t.co/hrU5CB2c0D
— Adam Weinrib (@AdamWeinrib) July 10, 2023
Gonna have to change that @KyleTeel9 https://t.co/UVGNtXruTS
— V Tyler VI (@shaq_go) July 10, 2023
You think Kyle Teel wants to play in boston😂😂 he is such a yankee pic.twitter.com/croCE0cbc7
— avi sauber (@SauberAvi) July 10, 2023
