Kopech blazes way to first White Sox win
At the age of 20, Michael Kopech already seems to grasp the difference between a pitcher and a thrower, which is why MLB.com's 14th overall prospect is so highly regarded.But having a fastball that exceeds 100 mph certainly doesn't hurt.
At the age of 20, Michael Kopech already seems to grasp the difference between a pitcher and a thrower, which is why MLB.com's 14th overall prospect is so highly regarded.
But having a fastball that exceeds 100 mph certainly doesn't hurt.
Box score
Kopech earned his first win in the White Sox organization, allowing one hit and striking out eight over six scoreless innings on Tuesday night as Double-A Birmingham edged visiting Jacksonville, 3-2. The system's No. 3 prospect recorded half of his punchouts swinging while relying more on a hard sinker than his notorious triple-digit four-seam fastball in his first Southern League victory.
"[Throwing hard] is natural to me at this point," Kopech said after reportedly hitting 102 mph on the Regions Field radar gun. "I've put in a lot of time and preparation to be able to throw as hard as I do. I know the velocity will be there. But tonight, I think I threw something like 90 percent sinkers. To have another pitch like that and add it to the mix of other pitches will be far more helpful than just good velo.
"There were a few guys tonight where I had some good battles with, so knowing that I could use the fastball if I wanted to is a nice feeling. I could rear back and let loose. But it doesn't always work out that way, so it's good to keep developing other weapons."
Despite yielding just one hit, Kopech (1-1) worked with a runner on base in five of his six innings, thanks to four walks. Yefri Pérez's infield single leading off the fourth was Jacksonville's only hit against the right-hander. A wild pitch moved the Marlins' 30th-ranked prospect to second with nobody out, but Kopech retired the next three batters to keep the game scoreless.
"I'm trying to get better every start," he said. "I've had a few too many walks so far, and that comes from Double-A hitters being more patient. So what I took from tonight is that I need to get ahead of these guys earlier in the at-bats. I'll take that into my next start and move forward. I need to quit nibbling and be more aggressive. I have the stuff to do it, but I haven't pitched with the mentality that I can do it yet."
Kopech and Yoán Moncada, MLB.com's top overall prospect, highlighted the return Chicago got in the December trade that sent five-time All-Star Chris Sale to the Red Sox. The deal surprised the right-hander, who now feels comfortable with his new organization.
"It was a little bit of a surprise," he said. "It's hard to imagine not sticking with the team that drafted you. But it's a clean slate for me and I'm happy where my career is headed."
Kopech made his first trip to Major League Spring Training, where he shadowed several White Sox veterans.
"James Shields and Geovany Soto helped out quite a bit with the mental approach and how to take the mound and be fearless. They were both great help," the 2014 first-round pick said. "[Tyler] Saladino talked to me a lot about preparation, locking in and focusing. And speaking of locking in, watching [Jose] Quintana pitch is mind-blowing. The guy never loses focus. He's a guy you can learn from just by watching him. It was exciting to be around him."
Will Lamb followed Kopech and worked around a hit and a walk while striking out three in 1 2/3 scoreless frames. El'Hajj Muhammad closed out the win, despite allowing two runs on three hits and a walk over the final 1 1/3 innings.
"It was phenomenal," said Kopech, a Texas native said. "It's something I've been trying to get under my belt. I had a few outings that could have been better, but today I was able to lock in and get in the zone. I'm happy to help the team get a win, which is always the main goal."
Jacksonville starter Mike Kickham (0-3) allowed two runs -- one earned -- on six hits while fanning nine in six innings. Taylor Ard and Austin Nola had RBIs in the ninth, but Isaac Galloway grounded out with the tying run at second base to end the game.
Michael Avallone is a contributor to MiLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @MavalloneMiLB.
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