2. Hans Crouse RHP
Hans Crouse was part of the trade package the Phillies received from the Texas Rangers at the 2021 deadline when they acquired big-league arms Kyle Gibson and Ian Kennedy. They also received Crouse, a top Rangers prospect, and somehow convinced the Rangers to pay them $4M. In exchange, former top pitching prospect Spencer Howard became a Ranger.
Now the number-four prospect in the Phillies’ system, Crouse had never pitched above Double-A before the trade and pitched in exactly one game at Triple-A Lehigh Valley after the trade. He also made four starts in the Arizona Fall League, to the tune of a 5.06 ERA over 16 innings.
Gibson and Kennedy proved to be mediocre additions to the Phillies’ already-struggling pitching arsenal, so it’s kind of up to Crouse to make this trade seem like a win. He already debuted with the Phillies, making two big-league starts.