Brian Shouse is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for several teams during his career. He was born on September 26, 1968, in Effingham, Illinois, and attended Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. Shouse was not drafted out of college, but he signed as a free agent with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1990.
Shouse made his Major League debut with the Pirates in 1993, but he only appeared in two games that season. He spent the next few years bouncing between the minor leagues and the majors, playing for the Pirates, Boston Red Sox, and Kansas City Royals. In 1998, he signed with the Houston Astros, where he had his most successful season to date. He appeared in 54 games for the Astros, posting a 2.45 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP.
After his stint with the Astros, Shouse signed with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (now known as the Tampa Bay Rays) in 2000. He spent three seasons with the Devil Rays, primarily as a left-handed specialist out of the bullpen. In 2003, he had a career-best 1.65 ERA in 50 games.
Shouse then signed with the Texas Rangers in 2004, where he continued to be a reliable lefty out of the bullpen. He spent three seasons with the Rangers before signing with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2007. Shouse had a solid season with the Brewers in 2008, posting a 2.81 ERA in 69 games.
After his stint with the Brewers, Shouse signed with the Oakland Athletics in 2009. However, he struggled with injuries that season and only appeared in 28 games. He was released by the Athletics in August of that year and subsequently retired from baseball.
Throughout his career, Shouse was known for his ability to get left-handed batters out. He finished his career with a 3.72 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP in 467 games. He appeared in the postseason twice, with the Astros in 1998 and the Brewers in 2008.
After retiring from baseball, Shouse became a high school baseball coach in Florida. He also worked as a pitching coach for the Gulf Coast League Phillies, a minor league affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies.
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