Michael Crouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Michael Crouse |
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Crouse batting for the Lansing Lugnuts
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| Born: November 22, 1990 Port Moody, British Columbia |
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Michael R. Crouse, born on November 22, 1990, is a Canadian who used to play professional baseball. He was an outfielder, which is a player who catches balls hit far into the field. Michael played for the Toronto Blue Jays team and also represented his country on the Canadian national baseball team.
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Michael Crouse's Baseball Journey
Starting Out in Baseball
Michael Crouse went to Centennial Secondary School in Coquitlam, British Columbia. In high school, he played both baseball and basketball. Eventually, he decided to focus all his energy on baseball.
Playing for the Toronto Blue Jays
After high school, the Toronto Blue Jays picked Michael in the 16th round of the 2008 MLB draft. This was a big step into professional baseball for him. He started playing in 2008 with the Gulf Coast Blue Jays. He played with them again in 2009.
In 2010, Michael moved up to the Lansing Lugnuts team. He became their main right fielder. That season, he had a .261 batting average. He also hit 14 home runs and brought in 55 runs. Michael was very fast, leading the Lugnuts with 38 stolen bases.
He then joined the Dunedin Blue Jays in 2012. Michael stayed with the Blue Jays organization until the end of the 2014 season. His last team with them was the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. After that, he left the Blue Jays.
Playing for Independent Teams
After leaving the Blue Jays, Michael joined the Lancaster Barnstormers in 2015. This team is part of an independent league, meaning it's not connected to Major League Baseball. He couldn't play that year because of an injury. He signed with them again in 2016.
Later in 2016, Lancaster traded Michael to the New Britain Bees. He was amazing at stealing bases that year, leading the league with 61 stolen bases. He played for the Bees again in 2017.
Playing in Mexico
In 2018, Michael signed with the Pericos de Puebla team in the Mexican League. He then played for Algodoneros de Unión Laguna for a short time in 2019.
More Independent League Teams
After his time in Mexico, Michael returned to the Atlantic League. He signed with the Somerset Patriots in May 2019.
In 2020, Michael joined the Chicago Dogs in the American Association. He played 58 games for them that year. He hit 10 home runs and stole 20 bases. He had an even better year in 2021, playing 73 games. He hit 13 home runs and stole 33 bases. In 2022, he played 87 games, hitting 7 home runs and stealing 38 bases.
Michael was traded to the Winnipeg Goldeyes in August 2022. He played 9 games with them to finish the season.
In January 2023, the Milwaukee Milkmen picked him up. Michael became a free agent after the 2023 season.
Playing for Team Canada
Michael Crouse also played for the Canadian national baseball team. He was part of the team in the 2008 World Junior Baseball Championship. He was even named to the tournament's All-Star team.
He won a bronze medal at the 2011 Baseball World Cup. He also won a gold medal at the 2011 Pan American Games. He was the youngest player on the Canadian team in 2011. Michael also played for Canada in the 2017 World Baseball Classic and the 2019 Pan American Games.
Michael's Playing Style
Michael Crouse is 6 feet 4 inches tall. When he was a young player, people thought he was a "five-tool player". This means he was good at hitting for average, hitting for power, running fast, throwing well, and fielding well. He was drafted to play center fielder, but he mostly played as a center fielder throughout his career. He finished his career with 149 home runs and 429 stolen bases.
Family and Other Activities
Michael's father, Ray Crouse, was a professional football player. He played as a running back in both the National Football League and the Canadian Football League.
In 2024, Michael Crouse was on the tenth season of The Amazing Race Canada. He competed with his teammate, Tyson Gillies.
