Michael Kopech

Position: RH SP
Born: 4/30/1996
Ht: 6’3″ Wt: 225 lb
Acquired: Received from Boston in Chris Sale trade, Dec. 6, 2016
Career Stats

FutureSox Prospect Rankings

  • #3 – 2017 Preseason
  • #3 – 2017 Midseason
  • #2 – 2018 Preseason
  • #2 – 2018 Midseason
  • #2 – 2019 Preseason
  • #2 – 2019 Midseason
  • #2 – 2020 Preseason
  • #3 – 2020 Midseason
  • #2 – 2021 Preseason

FutureSox Media

Accolades

  • South Atlantic League All-Star, 2015 Midseason
  • Arizona Fall League Rising Stars Game, 2016
  • Arizona Fall League All-Prospect Team, 2016
  • Southern League All-Star, 2017 Midseason
  • Futures Game, 2017
  • Southern League All-Star, 2017 Postseason

Scouting Report

Drafted by Boston in the first round of the 2014 draft as a Texas prep, Kopech shot up prospects lists thanks to an incredible 2016 season. Featuring a fastball that has been clocked as high as 102 MPH, Kopech was electric over 56.1 innings that season. He struck out 86 batters and posted a 2.08 ERA. He followed up on that performance by dominating more advanced hitters with a 2.01 ERA in the Arizona Fall League, striking out 26 batters over 22.1 innings while walking eight.

In 2017, Kopech was given a challenging assignment to Double-A Birmingham as a 20-year-old. He not only handled it, he knocked it out of the park: 2.87 ERA, 11.7 K/9, 4.5 BB/9, and then a promotion to Triple-A for 3 starts (15 IP, 15 H, 5 ER, 5 BB, 17 K).

In 2018, he battled some wildness in the Knights’ rotation for a while as he made some adjustments. By July he was again his dominant self. His last seven starts in Triple-A: 44 IP, 39 H, 9 ER, 4 BB, 59 K. He then made his MLB debut and showed early signs of that same dominance before, unfortunately, going down after his fourth start with a torn UCL and subsequent Tommy John surgery. He missed all of 2019.

Kopech had returned in spring training of 2020 and fired triple digits regularly in his only outing before the pandemic shut things down. When the season was gearing back up in July, Kopech opted out.

Kopech’s arsenal is built around the fastball. His command has lagged behind his stuff. Most of his command issues stem from timing, as his arm extension snaps across his body and drives him off line from the plate. Beyond the fastball, Kopech features two raw but promising secondary pitches that project plus. He throws an 86-90 mph slider that has sharp break. Kopech’s third offering is a 91-93 MPH change-up that he has shown a solid feel for and is devastating for hitters expecting the triple digits fastball. He also mixes in a two-seam fastball in the low 90s to challenge timing and add some cut action. In Charlotte he even added back a curveball from his high school days (just for fun apparently).

At 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds and still filling out, Kopech is an impressive physical specimen and an elite athlete. He is not afraid to be aggressive and go after hitters, showing a competitive intensity that sometimes gets the best of him.

Major League Outlook: Front end starter ceiling
ETA: Late 2018