| Hans Crouse | |
| Team: | Los Angeles Angels |
| Number: | 52 |
| Position: | Pitcher |
| Bats: | Left |
| Throws: | Right |
| Birth Date: | 15 September 1998 |
| Birth Place: | Dana Point, California, U.S. |
| Debutleague: | MLB |
| Debutdate: | September 26 |
| Debutyear: | 2021 |
| Debutteam: | Philadelphia Phillies |
| Statleague: | MLB |
| Statyear: | July 26, 2024 |
| Stat1label: | Win–loss record |
| Stat1value: | 4–3 |
| Stat2label: | Earned run average |
| Stat2value: | 3.57 |
| Stat3label: | Strikeouts |
| Stat3value: | 22 |
| Teams: |
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Hans Michael Crouse (born September 15, 1998) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Crouse attended Dana Hills High School in Dana Point, California. As a senior, he struck out 99 batters in innings, posting a 7–3 win–loss record with a 0.88 earned run average (ERA).[1] He helped lead Dana Hills to the finals of the National High School Invitational and was named the Orange County Registers high school pitcher of the year.[2] He committed to the University of Southern California to play college baseball.[3] Crouse was considered one of the top prep prospects for the 2017 MLB Draft.[4]
Crouse was selected in the second round, 66th overall, by the Texas Rangers.[5] He signed with the Rangers for a $1.45 million bonus[6] and was then assigned to the AZL Rangers of the Rookie-level Arizona League, where he spent all of his first professional season, posting a 0.45 ERA with thirty strikeouts in twenty innings pitched along with an 0.70 WHIP.[7] In 2018, he split time between the Spokane Indians of the Class A Short Season Northwest League and the Hickory Crawdads of the Class A South Atlantic League, compiling a combined 5–3 record and 2.47 ERA in 13 total starts between both teams.[8]
Crouse was ranked as the #73 overall prospect in baseball by Baseball America in their preseason 2019 Top 100 list.[9] Crouse was also ranked as the #85 overall prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline in their preseason 2019 Top 100 list.[10] Crouse was ranked as the #95 overall prospect in baseball by ESPN's Keith Law in his preseason 2019 Top 100 list.[11]
Crouse was assigned back to Hickory for the 2019 season.[12] Crouse produced a 6–1 record with a 4.41 ERA in innings in 2019.[13] He was hampered by bone spurs in his right elbow throughout the season, which forced him to miss almost a month of action and required surgery following the season to remove.[14] [15] Crouse did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the Minor League Baseball season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Crouse opened the 2021 season with the Frisco RoughRiders of the Double-A Central, going 3–2 with a 3.35 ERA and 54 strikeouts over 51 innings.[16]
On July 30, 2021, Crouse, Kyle Gibson, and Ian Kennedy were traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for Spencer Howard, Kevin Gowdy, and Josh Gessner.[17] He split the remainder of the minor league season between the Double–A Reading Fightin Phils and the Triple–A Lehigh Valley IronPigs.[18] On September 26, Crouse's contract was selected to the active roster to make his MLB debut that day versus the Pittsburgh Pirates.[19]
Crouse was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley to begin the 2022 season.[20] He suffered a biceps injury on April 20, and was placed on the 60-day injured list on July 15 with right biceps tendinitis.[21] On November 9, Crouse was removed from the 40-man roster and sent outright to Lehigh Valley.[22]
Crouse split the 2023 season between the Single–A Clearwater Threshers, Reading, and Lehigh Valley. In 18 appearances between the three affiliates, he struggled to a 6.14 ERA with 29 strikeouts across 22.0 innings of work. Crouse elected free agency following the season on November 6, 2023.[23]
On February 8, 2024, Crouse signed a minor league deal with the Los Angeles Angels and was assigned to the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees.[24] [25] In 21 appearances for the Triple–A Salt Lake Bees, he recorded a 2.70 ERA with 42 strikeouts across innings pitched. On June 21, the Angels selected Crouse's contract, adding him to the active roster.[26]
Crouse has over twenty tattoos, and designed them all himself.[27]