The Rangers gave the high school pitcher from California a million-dollar-plus signing bonus that marked him as one of the team’s big hopes for the future.
Tuesday night, the 22-year-old Crouse pitched at the Double-A level for the first time as the Frisco RoughRiders’ starter against the San Antonio Missions at Wolff Stadium.
In his first game since Aug. 26, 2019, the 6-foot-4 right hander pitched one inning and retired the Missions in order while striking out one batter. According to the Prospect Times, Crouse threw 11 pitches, with eight of them strikes.
The Rangers already had another pitcher warming up when the game started, so it looks like the one-inning appearance was part of the team’s plan.
Crouse pitched in 19 games in 2019 in Class A ball, despite reportedly dealing with bone chips in his elbow. He recorded a 6-1 record with a 4.41 ERA. His last game before Tuesday night was August 26, 2019.
