General manager Rick Hahn said Monday that Kopech, who opted out of the 2020 season, has remained in touch with his minor-league pitching coaches and is "fully invested and committed" to rejoining the team in spring training, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

EDGE Analysis

Aside from some Cactus League outings this past spring, Kopech hasn't made a regular-season appearance in affiliated ball since September 2018. He was sidelined for all of 2019 while on the mend from Tommy John surgery before informing the White Sox in July that he would sit out the 2020 campaign amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The lack of action over the past two years means the 24-year-old won't be a lock to crack the White Sox's Opening Day rotation in 2021, but if he's able to regain his pre-surgery velocity and command, Kopech likely won't have to wait long to get another look with the big club. Chicago is expected to formally reinstate Kopech from the restricted list and add him back to the 40-man roster at some point later in the offseason.