Kazmir's legend precedes him in Texas

Scott Kazmir , LHP, Athletics
Hometown: Houston, Texas

Scott Kazmir is Houston-born and bred. The lefty was a legend at Houston's Cypress Falls High School, where, as one of the best prep pitchers in the country, he once hurled four consecutive no-hitters as a junior.

Kazmir's senior-year numbers at Cypress Falls -- where he also played quarterback -- were a sight to behold: 172 strikeouts in 75 innings with a 0.37 ERA.

Kazmir verbally committed to play college ball at the University of Texas, but he was drafted 15th overall by the Mets in 2002.

Before turning his career around, Kazmir returned home in 2012 for all the wrong reasons: he had a stint with the Sugar Land Skeeters of the Atlantic League, not far from Houston.

Now, he is firmly entrenched in the Oakland A's rotation, but he still lives in Cypress, Texas, during the offseason.