Chicago White Sox Move Former Top Pitching Prospect Michael Kopech To Bullpen
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The Chicago White Sox are moving right-handed pitcher Michael Kopech to the bullpen, general manager Chris Getz told reporters Thursday.
Kopech has spent some time as a reliever in the past, but he has been a starter for the vast majority of his professional career. 52 of his last 55 MLB appearances have come as a starter, in addition to 84 of his 85 minor league outings.
All three of his Cactus League appearances this spring have come as a starter, although he owns a 7.71 ERA and 1.714 WHIP to this point.
The 27-year-old righty went 5-12 with a 5.43 ERA, 1.593 WHIP and 0.7 WAR in 2023, with 27 of his 30 appearances being starts.
Kopech was the Boston Red Sox's first round pick in the 2014 MLB Draft. He was one of the centerpieces of the Chris Sale trade two years later, alongside third baseman Yoan Moncada.
Entering the 2018 season, MLB Pipeline had Kopech ranked as the No. 10 prospect in all of baseball. He made his big league debut that year, going 1-1 with a 5.02 ERA and 1.535 WHIP across four starts.
Kopech would undergo Tommy John surgery that fall, knocking him out for the entire 2019 season as well. He opted out of the COVID-impacted 2020 season and didn't make another major league appearance until 2021.
Upon his return to MLB, Kopech was utilized primarily as a relief pitcher. Of his 44 appearances in 2021, 40 came out of the bullpen, and he posted career-bests with a 3.50 ERA, 1.125 WHIP and 13.4 strikeouts per nine innings.
Kopech became a full-time starter in 2022, going 5-9 with a 3.54 ERA, 1.190 WHIP and 2.3 WAR in 24 games.
The former top prospect was ultimately unable to recreate that kind of production in 2023, or at 2024 Spring Training, and he is losing his spot in the White Sox's rotation as a result.
The White Sox have almost completely dismantled their pitching staff from a year ago, starting with when they traded Mike Clevinger, Lance Lynn, Lucas Giolito, Joe Kelly, Reynaldo López, Kenyan Middleton and Kendall Graveman away at last summer's deadline. The front office went a step further this offseason, trading away ace Dylan Cease and reliever Aaron Bummer while letting closer Liam Hendriks walk in free agency.
Even with all the turnover, Kopech was unable to earn a spot in the starting rotation. Instead, free agent additions Chris Flexen and Erick Fedde, plus trade acquisition Michael Soroka, are poised to lead the rotation. Youngsters Garrett Crochet and Nick Nastrini are among the top contenders to round out the five-man group.
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