Zach Britton: Worth Another Look?

It comes with the standard small sample size warning (56 PAs as of this writing), and that at 24, he’s two years older than the average Fall Leaguer, but Zach Britton is mashing in Arizona.

The 2020 5th (and final) round pick leads the Fall League with a .404 average, and has an OBP just a few clicks under .500 to boot.

As a 2020 draftee, the left-handed hitting Britton had some critical development years curtailed. Covid-19 limited him to 17 games in his draft year, and none the following year. Baseball America tabbed the Louisville product a bat-first player:

 It’s possible with a few swing adjustments Britton could be geared for more home run juice. Defensively, Britton fits best in left field, where he’s a fringy runner with an arm that ranges from a 45- to 50-grade tool. He’s caught in the past but has been behind catchers at Louisville. During his time in the Cape, scouts did not think he was a good receiver behind the plate. Britton’s value comes from his bat. His power potential from the left side puts him in fifth-to-seventh round consideration.

You have to love Britton’s work ethic, as this Sportsnet profile outlined. You also have to love this story of how his whippy, quick to the barrel swing did not sit well with the neighbours around his high school ballpark:

By his senior year, Britton could mash home runs with ease over Batesville’s 325-foot fence. That spelled trouble for the string of white houses sitting on the other side of the fence, with only a 30-foot strip of grass and a two-lane road as a buffer.

The baseball barrage prompted one tenant to call the park commissioner and request that Britton be forbidden from taking batting practice.

“They actually put up a little temporary fence in front of the house, hoping that it would stop balls from going up and hitting the garage door and windows,” Britton recalled.

The team responded by sending a few players out beyond the park limits to keep guard whenever Britton was at the plate.

Britton struggled (31% K rate) in his first pro season last year, but that was not unexpected, and he did hit a solid .286 over the last two months of his season with Dunedin.

Sent to Vancouver to start the season, he finished with New Hampshire, with three trips to the IL limiting him to 76 games. Britton has moved around the diamond a bit defensively, spending time behind the plate and in the corner OF spots, although he still considers himself a backstop:

Blue Jays Director of Player Development Joe Sclafani echoes the comments about Britton’s industriousness:

 He’s a good player and committed to his work. He grinds and competes his butt off. I think his maturity improved (in AZ) and he has learned how pitchers are attacking him.

Britton was behind the plate 32 times for Vancouver this season, and another 5 for New Hampshire. He hasn’t seen time behind the plate in the prospect-laden Arizona league, but he’s there mainly for the reps. I asked Sclafani what the plan was for Britton on the defensive side of the ball going forward, and he indicated that Britton will continue to catch and play the outfield - “The versatility will help him overall - the important thing is that he hits.”

Is Britton a big league prospect? At this point, given his modest body of minor league work (.784 career OPS), one might suggest he’s in the fringe category. But given that 31 of his 60 hits this season were for extra bases, his ability to play a couple of positions, and his spurt in Arizona, he’s worth taking a closer look at AAA next season.

Some more video…..