Red Sox RHP Michael Kopech fractures hand in teammate altercation

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Top Boston Red Sox prospect Michael Kopechis in trouble once again.

Kopech, a right-handed pitcher and 2014 first-round draft pick, suffered a small fracture of his right hand during what the team described as an "altercation" with his roommate a few days ago, Red Sox general manager Mike Hazen said Tuesday. The incident comes six months after Kopech finished serving a 50-game suspension for violating the minor-league drug policy.

"It's disappointing, very disappointing. It was stupid," Hazen said. "He's going to have to grow up, obviously, with the things that have happened so far."

Hazen declined to get into specifics or divulge the name of Kopech's roommate in Boston's minor league camp. He also didn't say whether the team intends to discipline Kopech.

It's unclear how much time the 19-year-old will miss, according to Hazen, who said the Sox are still trying to determine the severity of the fracture and whether it will require surgery.

Kopech, who was drafted out of Mount Pleasant High School in Texas, posted a 2.63 ERA in 65 innings last season for Single-A Greenville before testing positive for Oxilofrine, a stimulant drug and an amphetamine that is typically an ingredient in some dietary supplements.

"He's got a long road to go to get to the big leagues," Hazen said of Kopech. "He obviously has a ton of potential, and he's got a long way to go. These types of things, you don't want to put more barriers in front of you than playing professional baseball already presents."

The Red Sox haven't developed a homegrown starting pitcher with staying power in the rotation since Clay Buchholz made his big league debut in 2007. Kopech and 18-year-old Anderson Espinoza represent the top pitching prospects in the organization.