Born: April 30, 1996
Mount Pleasant, TX
Height: 6-3
Weight: 195
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Drafted: 1st round, 2014
How Acquired: Draft
High School: Mount Pleasant HS (TX)

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SoxProspects.com Links
Scouting Scratch: Fall Instructs Part One (10.8.14)
2014 Top 40 Season in Review
The Write-Up: Kopech, Almonte and De Jesus (10.14.15)
2015 Top 40 Season in Review
Kopech 'amped up,' but effective in first start (6.19.16)
Scouting Scratch: Michael Kopech (6.23.16)
Trade Analysis: Scouting the pitching prospects... (12.7.16)

Traded to Chicago (AL) with Luis Alexander Basabe, Victor Diaz, and Yoan Moncada for Chris Sale (December 2016)

Physical Description: Prototypical pitcher’s frame. Was tall and lean with the frame to support added size when he entered the system, but has added significant muscle over the last few years. Solid athlete.  

Mechanics: Throws from a three-quarters arm slot with a high leg lift. Live, loose arm. Plus arm speed. High effort delivery that has already improved since high school. Jerky mechanics. Turns at the waist prior to coming forward, but the turn is less pronounced than it once was. Long arm action behind. Stiff front side and lands off-balance, hard to the first base side. Could have issues repeating delivery in longer outings.  

Fastball: 93-97 mph. Have seen him top out at 98 mph, but reportedly has hit 100+ mph. Explosive pitch with plus life. Sinking movement. Plus-plus potential. Well below-average command. Command will take time to develop.  

Slider: 84-87 mph. Plus potential, showed wipeout potential and bat-missing ability.  

Changeup: 85-88 mph. Firm, some drop. Similar arm action, needs to improve consistency with arm speed. Below-average potential.  

Curveball: 79-82 mph. Loose break, drops arm slot. Flashes tight rotation and depth. Average potential. The club has reportedly asked Kopech to shelve the pitch to focus on his other three offerings, which makes sense as when he throws both in the same outing they end up blending together in a slurvy breaking ball in the low-80s.

Career Notes: Committed to the University of Arizona prior to signing.  

Summation: Number three starter potential if things turn out right. Potential for a plus-plus fastball and plus slider. Long way to go developmentally. Needs to improve consistency with delivery, command, and control and must refine secondary offerings. Power pitcher profile. Can get in his own head on the mound and struggle to throw strikes in some outings. Delivery and command and control profile could push to bullpen where stuff could play in late inning role.