Kopech allowed two hits and struck out three batters over two scoreless innings in Monday's game against the Athletics.
The most important part of the day was no walks and getting his secondary pitches over for strikes, an area of focus for Kopech this spring. "I got behind in the count a couple of times and it gave me an opportunity to really work on my changeup and off-speed pitches," the 21-year-old told Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune. "I think 2-0 I threw a changeup three times and it helped me really focus on staying behind it and getting a strike with the pitch." It was a strong performance out of the gate for Kopech, who is expected to start the season at Triple-A Charlotte. If he finds a comfort level and consistency with the changeup -- a third pitch along with his fastball and slider -- it's very likely he'll get a callup to Chicago later in the season.