Former Husky Addison Russ Nears Major-League Dream as a Phillies Top Prospect
By Russ Reneau
Each year, a few select prospects not on a Major League Baseball team鈥檚 40-man roster are invited to join the big leaguers at Spring Training. In January, former HBU ace Addison Russ (鈥�17) received the call from the Philadelphia Phillies that he would be among the club鈥檚 15 non-roster invitees when camp began in February in Clearwater, Florida.
鈥淚t was surreal when they told me,鈥� Russ said. 鈥淚 knew I had a chance to get an invite, but it鈥檚 just a waiting game. Josh Bonifay, the Phillies director of Player Development, called me to tell me the news and let me know they think I have a future with the club, so it鈥檚 a great honor. I鈥檓 thankful to go to big league camp, being with a new staff and being able to show them what I鈥檝e got and what I鈥檓 about.鈥�
In two seasons with the Huskies, the Amarillo, Texas, native was a starter, recording 10 wins with a 3.53 ERA and 145 strikeouts, then was drafted in the 19th round of the 2017 MLB Draft by the Phillies. The Amarillo, Texas, native moved to the bullpen and spent the rest of the 2017 season and 2018 at the class A level, but played the entire 2019 campaign at Double-A with the Reading Fightin鈥� Phils. He earned the team鈥檚 FirstEnergy Pitcher of the Year and was an Eastern League All-Star, making 55 appearances and going 5-6 with 22 saves, a 2.54 ERA and 81 strikeouts in 56.1 innings.
鈥淭he hardest thing about professional baseball is the every day,鈥� Russ said. 鈥淚n college, you get a break and have a chance to regroup. Being a starter at HBU, if you had a bad outing, you had to wait a whole week. Coming out of the pen, if I blow a save, I have to be ready to go the next night. That mindset is the biggest thing that has helped me 鈥� just living in the moment.鈥�
Russ is grounded and humble, celebrating only 鈥渓ittle victories鈥� as he continues to perfect his craft as a closer and chase his dream. While he is unsure where he will begin the season, only saying he鈥檒l 鈥済o wherever they send me,鈥� he does know where he ultimately wants to end up this season.
鈥淥ne thing I learned from 鈥淴鈥� (HBU pitching coach Xavier Hernandez) and (HBU head coach) Jared (Moon), was to always have a goal to work toward,鈥� Russ said. 鈥淢y goal is to make the (Phillies鈥�) 26-man roster, play in the big leagues and play against the best. I think I鈥檓 taking steps in the right direction, but it鈥檚 a process.鈥�