Aidan Teel signs with Minnesota Twins, ending Mississippi State baseball career

STARKVILLE —Mississippi State baseball center fielder Aidan Teel has signed with the Minnesota Twins, the school announced on social media July 23.

Teel was an 11th-round pick by the Twins on July 12. It put him in a position to decide whether to sign or return to MSU as a redshirt senior.

Teel transferred to Mississippi State for the 2026 season from Virginia with new coach Brian O’Connor. He was the starting center fielder for 38 games but fell out of the lineup in May.

Injuries were a factor for Teel. He missed part of the fall with a foot injury. An illness during the season caused him to miss five games. He also sustained another foot injury in April that didn’t sideline him, but Teel wasn’t as productive for the rest of the season.

But when Teel was at his best, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound left-hander could hit for contact and power. He was a good defender in the outfield, too.

Teel finished the season with a .294 batting average, five home runs, 22 RBIs, 38 runs and six stolen bases.

He was the fourth and final Mississippi State player picked in the 2026 MLB Draft following Ace Reese (Seattle Mariners, Round 1), Ben Davis (Colorado Rockies, Round 4) and Bryce Chance (Toronto Blue Jays, Round 10).

Had Teel returned to MSU, he’d compete for the starting center field job with a good chance to win it. Now Mississippi State will need to find a new starter there, especially with Chance out of eligibility and drafted.

Freshman phenom Jacob Parker is returning to MSU, but he only made starts in right field and designated hitter in 2026. Is he fast enough to be a center fielder?

Mississippi State’s other options could be from the transfer portal with Samford transfer Jake Souders and North Florida transfer Carter White.

Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Aidan Teel signs with Minnesota Twins, ending Mississippi State baseball career