Nearly five years ago, after the Orioles made right-handed pitcher Kevin Gausman their top draft pick, they made many residents of Frederick County happy by picking Branden Kline in the second round.
Kline, who went to Frederick's Governor Thomas Johnson High, was drafted out of the University of Virginia, and things looked bright for the tall, right-handed pitcher.
He was a disappointment at first, and after he began showing some promise at Double-A Bowie in 2015, Kline underwent Tommy John surgery in October of that year.
The 25-year-old was a late add to the Orioles' three-day minicamp in Sarasota, Fla., and Buck Showalter got to see Kline throw off a mound Jan. 10, and the Orioles manager was pleased.
