Kopech Named To Postseason All-Star Team

Michael Kopech Named To Southern League Postseason All-Star Team

Kopech went 8-7, with a 2.87 ERA in 22 starts in Birmingham before his August promotion to Triple-A

(Jimmy Mitchell)

By Birmingham Barons | August 29, 2017, 4:00 PM ET

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Birmingham Barons and the Southern League office announced today that they named pitcher Michael Kopech to the 2017 Postseason All-Star team as the best right-handed pitcher in the league.

Kopech, 21, was 8-7, with a 2.87 ERA in 22 starts for the Barons this season. The No. 1 pitching prospect in the MLB leads the Southern League and is sixth in all of Minor League Baseball with 155 strikeouts this season. Kopech, acquired from the Boston Red Sox as part of a four-player package for Chris Sale this offseason, was 4-1, with a 0.66 ERA in his last six starts with the Barons, before his August 18 promotion to Triple-A Charlotte.

An original first round pick (33rd overall) out of Mount Pleasant (Texas) High School by the Boston Red Sox in 2014, Kopech spent parts of three seasons in the Red Sox organization, progressed to Class-A Advanced Salem in 2016. Overall with the Red Sox, Kopech went 8-7, with a 2.61 ERA, while striking out 172 in 134.2 innings pitched.

Coming into the 2017 season, Kopech ranked among the Top 50 overall prospects according to Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus, and MLB Pipeline. MLB Pipeline ranks Kopech as the No. 12 overall.

Kopech becomes the first Baron player since Tim Anderson in 2015 and the first Baron pitcher since John Ely in 2009 to be named to the Postseason Southern League All-Star team.

The Barons will continue their final home series of the season tonight against the Tennessee Smokies, with first pitch set for 7:05 p.m. CT at Regions Field. Right-hander Brannon Easterling will take the ball for the Barons, while fellow righty Duane Underwood Jr. will start for Tennessee. Curt Bloom will bring you all the action starting with the Coca-Cola pregame show starting at 6:55 p.m. on 105.5 FM WERC and the iHeart Radio app.

For ticket information, game schedule, promotions calendar or for additional information about Regions Field, call (205) 988-3200, or visit www.barons.com, www.facebook.com/birminghambarons or on Twitter: @bhambarons.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.