Tag: Kevin Kopps

Kevin Kopps knocking on door to Majors after latest promotion

Arkansas’ former Player of the Year could soon crack the Padres’ 40-man roster and eventually make his way to San Diego.

Kevin Kopps’ final season with the Arkansas baseball team completely changed the trajectory of his career.

The 2021 National Player and Pitcher of the Year for the Razorbacks had been, until that season, a longshot to get drafted, nevermind near the Major Leagues. His senior season, though, saw him earn just about every plaudit available in college baseball.

And now, just over two calendar years later, Kopps is nearing a Major League call-up.

The San Diego Padres’ system right-hander was promoted Tuesday from the team’s Double-A affiliate San Antonio to Triple-A El Paso. Kopps was striking out 11 batters per nine innings with San Antonio while registering a 2.63 earned-run average

He was taken in the third round of the 2021 Draft by the Padres and age 26 could be in line for a call up to San Diego’s 40-man roster. That step would be needed before a trip to the Padres could happen.

Still, Tuesday’s promotion suggests the former Razorbacks dynamo could have a Major League future after all.

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Kevin Kopps now a finalist for AAU Sullivan Award

Kevin Kopps, along with Olympians Caleb Dressel and Simon Biles, named finalist for USA’s best amateur athlete.

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Back in September, here on Razorbacks Wire, we exhorted you to go online and vote for former Arkansas pitcher Kevin Kopps as a finalist for the AUU Sullivan Award.

Nice work.

The ex-Hogs pitcher was one of five finalists named Wednesday for the honor given to the nation’s top amateur athlete. His company? It’s awfully good.

Olympic gold medalists Simone Biles and Caleb Dressel, water polo player Maddie Musselman and mid-distance runner Athing Mu are the other four finalsts. That means Kopps is the only participant of traditional team sport among the finalists. It also means he’s the only one who didn’t compete in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (which, as a reminder, were actually in summer 2021).

Not as though you need much reminder on Kopps’ domination with the Diamond Hogs last year, but he had an 0.90 earned-run average, a 0.76 WHIP and struck out 131 batters in 89 2/3 innings. Opposing batters hit just .162 against him.

Those numbers earned him the Golden Spikes Award, the Dick Howser Trophy, was named National Player of the Year by Collegiate Baseball and D1Baseball and was the SEC Pitcher of the Year.

The San Diego Padres selected him in the third round of the MLB Draft following his college season and he excelled there, too, carrying a 0.61 earned-run average with 22 strikeouts over 14 2/3 innings as he made his way up to Double-A ball in his first season as a pro.

Was Kevin Kopps the best amateur athlete in the country last year? Vote for him

Kevin Kopps was the best player in college baseball last year. Now he’s up for best amateur athlete period.

It doesn’t take much convincing of anyone who follows college baseball to say Kevin Kopps was the best player in the sport last year.

The former Arkansas reliever won the Golden Spikes Award, the Dick Howser Trophy, was named National Player of the Year by Collegiate Baseball and D1Baseball and was the SEC Pitcher of the Year.

Now he’s one of 38 amateur athletes up for the AAU Sullivan award. The honor has been bestowed annually since 1930 to the most outstanding amateur in the United States.

Kopps’ 2021 baseball season was the stuff of legend. He had an 0.90 earned-run average, a 0.76 WHIP and struck out 131 batters in 89 2/3 innings. Opposing batters hit just .162 against him.

His stuff was so good the San Diego Padres selected him in the third round of the draft this summer. It’s rare for a player without leverage to be taken that high.

You can vote for Kopps for the AAU Sullivan award at www.aausullivan.org. Voting closes at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 27.

Previous winners of the award include Mark Spitz, Bill Walton, Carl Lewis, Michael Phelps and Tim Tebow.