Zack Britton is entering his third season as a member of the New York Yankees after coming over in a trade from the Orioles in 2018. Here are five interesting facts about the 32-year-old lefty:
1. Near-Death Experience
In his freshman year of high school, Britton dove for a ball in baseball in practice and landed on concrete. He suffered brain damage and spent time in the ICU, but wound up being ok in the end.
2. Drafted Out Of High School
Britton was selected in the third round of the 2006 draft out of Weatherford High School in Texas. He was offered a scholarship to play for Texas A&M but turned it down to pursue professional ball.
3. A Baseball Family
Britton has a brother named Buck, who was also drafted by the Orioles but in 2008. He has managed the Delmarva Shorebirds and now manages the Bowie Baysox, both minor league affiliates of the Orioles.
4. Dominican Origin
Britton’s mother’s family is actually of Dominican descent. However, Britton does not speak any Spanish. His father’s family is German and Irish.
5. American League Staple
Ever since 2015, Britton has been a huge staple in the American League. He’s earned the reputation of being one of the best relievers in the game. He has the AL record for most converted saves in a row at 60 between 2015-2017 with the Orioles. He’s also a two-time all-star and was the 2016 reliever of the year. He was so dominant in 2016 that he even finished fourth in CY Young voting. Pretty impressive for a reliever.