Britton brothers join forces as coaches at Orioles camp
Former O's All-Star Zack serves as guest instructor alongside Major League coach Buck
Jake Rill
@JakeDRillSARASOTA, Fla. -- The Britton brothers, Buck and Zack, grew up as baseball players in Panorama City, Calif. They were both drafted by the Orioles -- younger brother Zack in the third round in 2006, Buck in the 35th round in ¡®08 -- and there were a few rare instances in which they were teammates, playing for the same Minor League affiliate while climbing the ranks.
Now, they¡¯re coaching together for the O¡¯s. Well, for a few days that is.
Over the offseason, Buck was promoted from Triple-A Norfolk manager to Major League coach on Baltimore¡¯s staff, marking his first coaching position in the big leagues. Since Tuesday, Zack has been serving as a guest coach at the Ed Smith Stadium complex in Sarasota.
¡°We got to spend some time on the field together in Triple-A when we were playing, but he was a little more serious back then. He¡¯s unemployed, by the way. I¡¯m the guy who¡¯s still hanging on here,¡± Buck joked about his brother. ¡°I just want to see him hit a fungo, because I don¡¯t know if he can handle that.¡±
Zack, whose final day in camp was Thursday, roamed around the backfields in recent days, often watching pitchers throw bullpen sessions. It marks a return to the Orioles¡¯ organization for the 37-year-old, who was a two-time All-Star as a left-handed reliever. His MLB career was split between the O¡¯s (2011-18) and the Yankees (¡®18-22).
The younger Britton had a tremendous three-year run from 2014-16, when he recorded a 1.38 ERA with 120 saves in 204 appearances for Baltimore. Zack is now trying to pass on his knowledge of a game that is loved by both him and his older brother.
¡°They asked me if I had any interest, and I really appreciated the invite, getting back in it,¡± Zack said. ¡°It¡¯s a little weird, seeing it from this perspective. But it¡¯s a great group of guys, great coaches.¡±
His brother is now included in that latter group, finally getting his own call to the big leagues.
Unlike Zack, Buck never made it to the Majors as a player. The elder Britton was an infielder in the Orioles¡¯ system from 2008-14, and he never played professionally after ¡®16. However, he rejoined the O¡¯s organization in ¡®17, when he became the hitting coach at Single-A Delmarva.
Buck has since had stints as the manager at Single-A Delmarva (2018), Double-A Bowie (¡®19-21) and Triple-A Norfolk (¡®22-24). His new role as Baltimore¡¯s Major League coach is one he described as a ¡°Swiss Army Knife,¡± with a primary focus on assisting third-base coach Tony Mansolino in working with the infielders.
¡°It¡¯s kind of crazy, because I was there when Zack got the call home to say he was going to the big leagues,¡± Buck said. ¡°I think it¡¯s a little different as a player. But these jobs are so valuable, it¡¯s not easy to get them. And I¡¯m going to cherish every moment of this.¡±
Zack wasn¡¯t surprised in the slightest when he found out Buck was joining an MLB staff.
¡°He was always really good at relating to players, even when he was playing,¡± Zack said. ¡°It seemed like a lot of guys would go to him for advice. And I did. My whole career, he was the guy that I talked to. He¡¯s the guy that would give me the harsh criticism when others wouldn¡¯t.¡±
Among the conversations that occurred between the Britton brothers was one in 2012, when Zack was optioned to the Minors multiple times despite making 28 starts for the Orioles the previous year. Buck reminded his younger brother of his talent and skill level, which made Zack a top prospect as he was climbing the Minor League ladder before.
¡°Man, you got all the ability. It¡¯s just more finding a way to get it done,¡± Buck told Zack then.
¡°It was great advice,¡± Zack said. ¡°And like I said, up until my last year playing, he was the guy that I would call and he¡¯d watch my videos and we¡¯d talk. It was great.¡±
Buck¡¯s strong communication and leadership skills have greatly benefited the Orioles in recent years. He has helped get top prospects such as Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, Jackson Holliday, Colton Cowser, Jordan Westburg and more ready for the big leagues.
Perhaps Zack could have a future in coaching as well. But for now, he¡¯s eager to reignite his relationship with the O¡¯s and root on his older brother.
¡°It¡¯s obviously a perfect fit for me to get involved,¡± Zack said. ¡°Being done playing, it¡¯s great to have somebody that¡¯s still in the game and I can pull for him now. He used to watch me on TV. Now, I can pull for him and his team. I hope that he does great things in the game and is around for a long time.¡±