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Michael Kopech

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Michael Kopech
File:Mike Kopech.png
Michael Kopech in 2018
Chicago White Sox – No. 34
Pitcher
Born: (1996-04-30) April 30, 1996 (age 28)
Mount Pleasant, Texas
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
August 21, 2018, for the Chicago White Sox
MLB statistics
(through 2018 season)
Win–loss record1–1
Earned run average5.02
Strikeouts15
Teams

Michael Talbert Kopech (born April 30, 1996) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He bats and throws right handed.

Career

Kopech attended Mount Pleasant High School in Mount Pleasant, Texas.[1] He committed to attend the University of Arizona.[2] Kopech posted a 3–0 win–loss record and a 0.44 earned run average (ERA) in 11 games for Mount Pleasant, striking out 129 batters and giving up just 18 walks in 64 innings pitched, while earning 2014 Perfect Game First-Team All-American honors.[1]

Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox selected Kopech in the first round, with the 33rd overall selection, of the 2014 MLB Draft. He received a $1.6 million signing bonus from Boston.[1] Kopech started his professional career with the Rookie Level Gulf Coast League Red Sox in their 2014 season.[3] He posted a 0–1 record and a 4.61 ERA in eight starts, which included 16 strikeouts and nine walks in 13⅓ innings pitched.[citation needed]

In 2015, Kopech pitched for the Greenville Drive of the Class A South Atlantic League (SAL), where he was 4–5 with a 2.63 ERA in 15 games. He did strikeout 70 batters and walked 27 in 65 innings, while earning a selection to the SAL All-Star Game. Then on July 16, he was suspended without pay for 50 games after testing positive for Oxilofrine, which is a banned substance under the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.[4] In the 2016 spring training, Kopech broke his right hand during an altercation involving a roommate. He returned to action in the season-opener for the Lowell Spinners of the Class A-Short Season New York-Penn League,[5] and was promoted to the Salem Red Sox of the Class A-Advanced Carolina League.[citation needed] In his first five starts at Salem, Kopech yielded only three earned runs in 29 innings with at least seven strikeouts in every game. In total, Kopech made 11 starts, going 4–1 with a 2.25 ERA across 52 innings. During that stretch, he struck out 82 hitters, the most for a pitcher in MiLB for the month of August.[6] He posted a 2.08 ERA and gave only 29 walks, striking out double-digit batters in four of his last six starts, including a career-high 11 twice. After his solid pitching effort, Kopech was named the Carolina League Player of the Month for August.[6] The award came along with his selection as the league's Pitcher of the Week for August 22–28.[1] He carried a 0.93 ERA into his final start of the season before a tough outing against the Winston-Salem Dash on August 31. Overall, he collected 86 strikeouts in 56⅓ innings during the two stints (13.7 SO/9, 38% of batters faced),[7] along with a 4–1 record and a 2.08 ERA.[8]

According to Baseball America, Kopech threw one of the fastest pitches in professional baseball history against the Wilmington Blue Rocks on July 13, 2016. Kopech sat at 98 mph in the game, and touched 100 mph and beyond on a regular basis, until a 105 mph pitch was double checked by different radar guns in the Salem ballpark.[9] In an offseason workout on January 17, 2017, throwing from flat ground with run-up, Kopech threw a pitch that was unofficially clocked at 110 mph with a 3 oz ball.[10]

Chicago White Sox

On December 6, 2016, the Red Sox traded Kopech, Yoan Moncada, Luis Alexander Basabe, and Victor Diaz to the Chicago White Sox for Chris Sale.[11] In 2017, Kopech was named the starter for the North Division in the Southern League All-Star Game after he went 4–3 with a 2.93 ERA over 58 1/3 innings and a league best 80 strikeouts in his first 11 starts for the Double-A Birmingham Barons.[12] He was later named to the U.S. team of the 2017 All-Star Futures Game, striking out White Sox teammate Yoan Moncada of the World team. On August 18, 2017, the White Sox promoted Kopech to the Triple-A Charlotte Knights after he posted a 2.87 ERA over 119+1⁄3 innings in 22 starts with 155 strikeouts. Over his final five starts in Birmingham, Kopech allowed two earned runs and accumulated 49 strikeouts.[13]

The White Sox promoted Kopech to the major leagues on August 21, and made his debut on that day. His outing lasted only two innings because of rain. He struck out four batters and did not allow any runs. On his second pitch of the game he gave up his first hit, a single, to Joe Mauer.[14] At the time of his debut, he was considered the 13th best prospect in all of MLB.[15] On September 7, 2018, it was announced that Kopech would undergo Tommy John surgery, putting him out for the rest of the 2018 season plus all of 2019 as well. He underwent successful Tommy John surgery on September 18.[16]

Personal life

In 2019, Kopech announced his engagement to Canadian actress Vanessa Morgan.[17] Kopech and Morgan were married on January 4, 2020.[18]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Sox-Prospects.com – Michael Kopech page".
  2. ^ Woodard, Justin. "Mount Pleasant's Michael Kopech drafted by Red Sox". Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  3. ^ "Boston Red Sox prospects".
  4. ^ Red Sox 2014 first-round pick RHP Michael Kopech suspended 50 games. WEEI.com. Retrieved on July 16, 2015.
  5. ^ Michael Kopech, a top Boston Red Sox pitching prospect, strong in season debut. MassLive.com. Retrieved on June 18, 2016.
  6. ^ a b Kopech Named Carolina League Player of the Month. MiLB.com. Retrieved on September 13, 2016.
  7. ^ Michael Kopech – MiLB pitching statistics. Baseball Reference. Retrieved on September 13, 2016.
  8. ^ "Michael Kopech Stats, Highlights, Bio – MiLB.com Stats – The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  9. ^ Kopech hits 105 mph against Wilmington. Baseball America. Retrieved on September 13, 2016.
  10. ^ Clair, Michael (January 17, 2017). "Michael Kopech hit 110 mph during his first max-velocity workout of the year". MLB.com. Major League Baseball. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
  11. ^ Merkin, Scott (December 6, 2016). "White Sox get Moncada, 3 others for Sale". MLB.com. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
  12. ^ Van Schouwen, Daryl (June 8, 2017). "White Sox prospect Kopech to start Southern League All-Star Game". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
  13. ^ Kane, Colleen (August 18, 2017). "Lucas Giolito to make White Sox debut Monday; Michael Kopech promoted to Triple-A". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 18, 2017.
  14. ^ "Sox lose but Kopech shines in rain-shortened debut". mlb.com. August 21, 2018. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  15. ^ "Pitching prospect Michael Kopech to make White Sox debut Tuesday". ESPN.com. August 19, 2018. Retrieved September 8, 2018.
  16. ^ "White Sox phenom Michael Kopech likely to have Tommy John surgery". ESPN.com. September 7, 2018. Retrieved September 8, 2018.
  17. ^ Merrett, Robyn (July 3, 2019). "Brielle Biermann's Ex Michael Kopech Engaged to Riverdale's Vanessa Morgan: 'I Love You Intensely'". People. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  18. ^ Mizoguchi, Karen (January 4, 2020). "Riverdale Actress Vanessa Morgan Weds MLB Star Michael Kopech". People. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
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