After more than a year of hearing about the promise of Michael Kopech, White Sox fans should be able to watch the real deal in the not-so-distant future.

Kopech is the most anticipated Sox pitching prospect since Chris Sale. The Sox kept him in major-league camp most of the spring, giving Kopech an opportunity to show he deserves an early — though not too early — call-up.

After an impressive start in the Cactus League, Kopech floundered in his last two outings, one of which came in relief. Kopech said he needed to work on his in-game concentration.

Kopech was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte last week.

The Sox asked the fireballing right-hander to use his changeup more this spring, and chalked off the poor outings to the development stage. If they just wanted to see his triple-digit fastball and slider, it may have been a different story. But Kopech will need a changeup to reach the next level.

In truth, the Sox seem more concerned with Kopech’s mound composure.

“He would miss his spot and he would turn around and need a second to pull it together,” Hahn said. “He didn’t lash out any at anyone, but you could tell he was getting mad at himself. And it was building with each missed spot.”

The hassle heard ’round the Cactus League occurred at Sloan Park on March 10 when Eloy Jimenez bugged Rick Renteria to give him an at-bat against his former organization, the Cubs. After Renteria finally relented, Jimenez hit an opposite-field home run to reward his manager for the opportunity.

“A big at-bat for him,” Renteria said the next day. “A big at-bat for everybody.”

At 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, Jimenez has the kind of power scouts drool over, and his plate discipline is remarkable for someone with only 18 games at the Double A level.

“It’s hard to believe all the things he’s doing,” starter Reynaldo Lopez said. “When you see a guy like him with that talent talking about how the pitchers are going to pitch him, how he’s going to prepare for as specific pitch in a specific count, it’s impressive. ... It shows you he’s special.”

Jimenez hit only three home runs in 68 at-bats last year in Birmingham, but seems to be made for hitting in Guaranteed Rate Field.

The Sox likely will bring him up at some point this season, but insist they are not going to rush him just to placate fans.

Imagine throwing a 98 mph fastball in a major-league training camp and being virtually ignored because another guy is throwing 100.

That was the story for Sox prospect Dylan Cease, who was acquired along with Jimenez in the Jose Quintana deal with the Cubs last July. Cease went 0-8 with a 3.89 ERA in nine starts at Class A Kannapolis, with 52 strikeouts in 412/3 innings.

The Sox ignored the record and gave Cease an invite to camp

“I was definitely a little nervous coming into it, but I’m way more comfortable now,” Cease said.

Not many teams let Class A starters get innings in the middle of spring training, and Cease said he was “very fortunate, very thankful” for the chance. He used it well, striking out nine and allowing only three hits in 61/3 innings.

Some in the Cubs organization looked at Cease as a reliever down the line, but the Sox like what he brings as a starter. Hahn said they do see potential as a dominant closer, but think his value now is in the rotation.

—Paul Sullivan