It wasn’t too long ago that Zach Britton seemed to have submitted a membership application to the not-so-exclusive club of disappointing Baltimore Orioles pitching prospects. In his first three big league seasons, he averaged 85 innings with an ERA tip-toeing around 5.
After the 2013 season, Britton found himself being categorized with busts like Adam Loewen, Hayden Penn, and Garrett Olson.
Skip ahead to late 2015, though, and he is a top-5 closer in baseball. Not hard to like a power left-hander whose quick and late-breaking sinker makes him one of the last guys you want to face in the 9th inning of a close game.