Michael Kopech

BIOGRAPHY

Michael Kopech was born April 30, 1996, in Mt. Pleasant, Texas. He is a pitcher in the MLB.

Kopech attended Mount Pleasant High School in Mount Pleasant, Texas. He committed to attend the University of Arizona. 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.

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. In an offseason workout on January 17, 2017, throwing from flat ground, Kopech threw a pitch that was unofficially clocked at 110 mph with a 3 oz ball.

In 2022, Kopech made his way to the starting role. During the season, Kopech was on and off the injured list. In a game against the Kansas City Royals, Kopech felt soreness in his left knee before the first pitch but tried to pitch anyway. He ended up leaving the game after facing four batters in the first inning and was placed on the IL with a left knee strain. Kopech made two more starts before he was placed on the IL again on September 17 with right shoulder inflammation and was shut down for the season.

Overall in 2022, Kopech made 25 starts posting a 5–9 record with a 3.54 ERA in 119+1⁄3 innings with 105 strikeouts and 57 walks. He led the major leagues in highest walk percentage, at 11.5%.

On January 13, 2023, Kopech agreed to a one-year, $2.05 million contract with the White Sox, avoiding salary arbitration.