Kevin Kopps

Kevin Kopps
Kevin Kopps
	Kopps in 2019
San Diego Padres – No. 94
	Pitcher
	Born: March 2, 1997 (age 27); Sugar Land, Texas, U.S.
	Bats: Right Throws: Right
Career highlights and awards
	Golden Spikes Award (2021); Dick Howser Trophy (2021); National Pitcher of the Year Award (2021); SEC Pitcher of the Year (2021);

Amateur career

Kopps attended George Ranch High School in Fort Bend County, Texas. He played for the school's baseball team as a pitcher, and was twice named all-state.^[1] He enrolled at the University of Arkansas to play college baseball for the Arkansas Razorbacks in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). As a redshirt freshman in 2017, Kopps had a 3.31 earned run average (ERA) in 49 innings pitched. He did not play during the 2018 season as he recovered from Tommy John surgery. In 2019, his sophomore year, he had a 3.16 ERA in 37 innings pitched. As a junior in 2020, he had a 8.18 ERA in 11 innings pitched before the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the cancellation of the remainder of the season.^[1]^[2]

After his poor 2020 season, Kopps was unsure if the Arkansas coaches wanted him on the team in 2021, but they assured him that they did.^[2]^[3] He reworked his pitching delivery to be more natural and less over-the-top based on how he was playing fetch with his dog.^[4] In 2021, his senior year, Kopps had a 12–1 win–loss record with a 0.90 ERA with 11 saves in 89 2⁄3 innings across 33 games. His ERA led all NCAA Division I pitchers.^[1] He was named the Southeastern Conference Baseball Pitcher of the Year.^[5] He won the Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Year Award, Stopper of the Year Award, the Dick Howser Trophy, and the Golden Spikes Award.^[2]^[6]^[7]

The San Diego Padres selected Kopps in the third round, with the 99th overall selection, of the 2021 Major League Baseball draft.^[8] Kopps later signed with the Padres and received a $300,000 signing bonus.^[9] Kopps made his professional debut with the Fort Wayne TinCaps of High-A Central. In September 2021, the Padres promoted Kopps to the San Antonio Missions of Double-A South.^[10] Over 14 2⁄3 innings between the two teams, he went 1-0 with a 0.61 ERA and 22 strikeouts.^[11]

In 2022, the Padres invited Kopps to spring training as a non-roster player.^[12] He opened the season with San Antonio.^[13]

At Arkansas, Kopps earned a bachelor's degree in biomedical engineering and has completed coursework towards a Master of Business Administration. Kopps' sister, Ashley, played softball for Sam Houston State University.^[1]