Michael Talbert Kopech Bio
Michael Talbert Kopech is an American professional baseball pitcher who most recently played in Major League Baseball for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox. Born on April 30, 1996, in Mount Pleasant, Texas, Kopech was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the first round of the 2014 MLB Draft. He made his MLB debut with the Chicago White Sox in 2018. Kopech was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers at the 2024 trade deadline and won the World Series with the team that year.
Early Life and Background
Michael Kopech grew up in Mount Pleasant, Texas, where he attended Mount Pleasant High School. While in high school, Kopech developed a baseball rivalry and eventual friendship with Patrick Mahomes, who would later become an NFL star. Kopech committed to attend the University of Arizona before beginning his professional baseball career. During his senior year of high school, he posted an outstanding 3-0 win-loss record with a remarkable 0.44 earned run average across 11 games, striking out 129 batters while allowing only 18 walks in 64 innings pitched.
Kopech earned 2014 Perfect Game First-Team All-American honors during his senior season at Mount Pleasant High School. His dominant high school performance made him one of the top pitching prospects in the country heading into the 2014 MLB Draft.
Path to Professional Baseball
The Boston Red Sox selected Michael Kopech in the first round with the 33rd overall selection of the 2014 MLB Draft. He received a $1.6 million signing bonus from Boston. Kopech began his professional career with the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Red Sox in 2014. In eight starts, he posted a 0-1 record with a 4.61 ERA, recording 16 strikeouts and nine walks in 13 and one-third innings.
In 2015, Kopech pitched for the Greenville Drive of the Single-A South Atlantic League, where he went 4-5 with a 2.63 ERA in 15 games. He struck out 70 batters and walked 27 in 65 innings, earning a selection to the SAL All-Star Game. Later that year, he was suspended for 50 games after testing positive for Oxilofrine, a banned substance under the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. In 2016 spring training, Kopech broke his right hand during a fight with a teammate, but he returned later that season and was promoted to the Salem Red Sox of the High-A Carolina League. His dominant stretch earned him Carolina League Player of the Month honors for August and an appearance in the Arizona Fall League with the Surprise Saguaros.
Michael Talbert Kopech Career
Chicago White Sox Era (2018-2024)
On December 6, 2016, the Boston Red Sox traded Kopech along with Yoán Moncada, Luis Alexander Basabe, and Victor Diaz to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for All-Star pitcher Chris Sale. Kopech continued climbing the minor league ladder, earning Southern League All-Star honors and a selection to the U.S. team at the 2017 All-Star Futures Game. The White Sox promoted him to Triple-A Charlotte in August 2017, where he posted a 2.87 ERA with 155 strikeouts in 22 starts.
Kopech began the 2018 season with Charlotte, going 7-7 with a 4.13 ERA in 24 starts. The White Sox promoted him to the major leagues on August 21, 2018, and he made his debut that day against the Minnesota Twins. He struck out four batters in two innings without allowing any runs. Kopech made only four starts before undergoing Tommy John surgery on September 18, which ended his 2018 season and caused him to miss the entire 2019 campaign. He also sat out the shortened 2020 season due to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.
Los Angeles Dodgers Tenure (2024)
On July 29, 2024, the White Sox traded Kopech to the Los Angeles Dodgers as part of a three-team deal. In 24 regular-season games for the Dodgers, he went 4-0 with a 1.13 ERA and six saves in 24 innings, recording 29 strikeouts. Kopech pitched for the Dodgers during the 2024 postseason, appearing in four of five games during the NLDS and recording 3 and one-third scoreless innings. In the NLCS, he pitched two innings and earned a win in Game 3 before starting the clinching Game 6 as an opener. During the 2024 World Series, he allowed two runs on three hits in 3 and two-thirds innings across four games. The Los Angeles Dodgers won the 2024 World Series, giving Kopech his first championship ring.
Notable Achievements
On July 10, 2024, while still with the Chicago White Sox, Kopech threw an immaculate inning against the Minnesota Twins, recording three strikeouts on nine pitches. He became the second White Sox pitcher to accomplish this feat and the first since Sloppy Thurston in 1923. At the time of his MLB debut in 2018, Kopech was ranked as the 13th best prospect in all of baseball.
2025 Season
Kopech dealt with arm inflammation during the offseason, which caused him to fall behind in spring training. As a result, he began the 2025 season on the injured list with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was transferred to the 60-day injured list on May 1 and did not rejoin the roster until June 7. Upon returning, he made eight scoreless appearances, recording eight strikeouts in seven innings of work. On July 9, it was announced that Kopech underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee, placing him back on the 60-day injured list. He rejoined the Dodgers on September 1 but returned to the injured list on September 19 with right knee inflammation, effectively ending his season. In 14 total games, he walked 13 batters in 11 innings while allowing three runs.
Michael Talbert Kopech Career Wins
Across his MLB career from 2018 through the 2025 season, Michael Kopech has compiled a 21-33 win-loss record with a 4.14 earned run average and 457 strikeouts. He has played for the Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Minor League Career Highlights
Kopech built his professional reputation through impressive minor league performances. In 2015 with Single-A Greenville, he went 4-5 with a 2.63 ERA and 70 strikeouts, earning SAL All-Star recognition. His 2016 season with Salem Red Sox proved exceptional, as he went 4-1 with a 2.08 ERA in 52 innings while striking out 86 batters. During that season, he was clocked throwing pitches at 105 miles per hour, ranking among the fastest pitches recorded in professional baseball history.
Michael Talbert Kopech Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Michael Kopech was born and raised in Mount Pleasant, Texas. His high school baseball rivalry with Patrick Mahomes became well-known as Mahomes went on to become an NFL quarterback. Kopech was previously married to Canadian actress Vanessa Morgan. They announced their engagement in 2019 and married in January 2020, though Kopech filed for divorce in June 2020. Morgan gave birth to their son in January 2021.
As of August 2023, Kopech was engaged to fitness instructor Morgan Eudy, with whom he had a child together. Kopech also has a stepdaughter from Eudy’s previous relationship. He took brief paternity leave from the White Sox in May 2022 to attend the birth of his second child.