Justin Huber

Justin Patrick Huber

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 200 lb.

• High School Beacon Hill High School

• Debut June 21, 2005
• Born July 1, 1982 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

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[edit] Biographical Information

Justin Huber played his fifth year in the majors in 2009. He has been a member of the Australian national team and has played in the Futures Game three times.

Having been a member of the Australian junior national team 3 times (1998-2000), Huber hit .414 and slugged .727 with 8 runs to help Australia finish 4th in the 2000 World Junior Championship. He was named the tournament's All-Star catcher. Fellow MLB catchers Joe Mauer (USA) and Russell Martin (Canada) were also in the tournament but as a first baseman and third baseman respectively.

Huber was signed by assistant GM Omar Minaya for the New York Mets in 2000. He played for three Mets farm teams in 2001, hitting .314/.381/.528 for the Kingsport Mets, third in the Appalachian League in OPS behind Jonny Gomes and Brayan Pena. He was 6th in average. Pena beat him out as the Appy League's All-Star catcher. Baseball America named him as the #13 prospect in the circuit.

He split 2002 between the Capital City Bombers (.291/.376/.470 in 95 games) and St. Lucie Mets (.270/.342/.400 in 28 outings), driving in 93 runs between the two stops. He became the first unanimous South Atlantic League Mid-Season All-Star Game pick since Mike Hargrove in 1973. In the 2002 Futures Game, he backed up Victor Martinez as the World Team's catcher and went 0 for 2. He also made the post-season SAL All-Star team. Baseball America rated him as baseball's #4 catching prospect and the #9 prospect in the SAL, one slot ahead of David Wright.

In 2003, Justin batted .284/.345/.514 in 50 games for St. Lucie and .264/.330/.425 in 45 for the Binghamton Mets. In the 2003 Futures Game, he was 0 for 1 as Guillermo Quiroz's backup on the World squad. He called for an offspeed pitch from long-time Australian teammate Travis Blackley in the 6th, which Stephen Smitherman hit for the game-winning homer; Blackley had initially planned on a fastball. Huber and Mauer split the vote for the All-Star catcher in the Florida State League. Baseball America ranked him as the #6 catching prospect in baseball and as the #20 prospect in the FSL.

The next season, Huber hit .271/.390/.487 in 70 games for Binghamton and made two other stops. He was supposed to play for Australia in the 2004 Olympics but missed out on their Silver Medal run due to a knee injury. On July 30, he was shipped to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for Jose Bautista. Huber had surgery on his left knee in August.

Huber returned to action in 2005, hitting .326/.417/.560 with 97 RBI at two minor league stops - .343/.432/.570 in 88 games for the Wichita Wranglers and .274/.371/.531 in 32 contests for the Omaha Royals. Huber was now a first baseman, having played catcher in his career to this point. He was 1 for 2 for the World team in the 2005 Futures Game, with a 2-run double off of Paul Maholm. That earned him the Larry Doby Award as the game's MVP. He also played 25 games in the major leagues, batting .218/.271/.256 for the 2005 Kansas City Royals. In his big league debut, he pinch-hit for Matt Stairs in the 9th inning on June 21 after Chicago brought in left-hander Damaso Marte. Huber flew out to Scott Podsednik in center field. He became the 21st Australian player in major league history. Baseball America rated him as the best first baseman in the minor leagues and the #3 prospect in the Kansas City system. Huber was named to the Texas League All-Star team at first base, having led the TL in OBP, slugging and average. Baseball America ranked him as the #10 prospect in the TL, between Jason Hirsh and John Danks.

In the 2006 World Baseball Classic, Justin was just 1 for 8 with 6 strikeouts and 2 walks for the Aussies.

Huber hit .278/.358/.480 in 100 games for Omaha in 2006, including a .350 mark against southpaws. With the 2006 Kansas City Royals, he went 2 for 10 with a walk, double and four strikeouts. He batted .276/.336/.517 in 77 games for Omaha in 2007 and hit 20 home runs in 84 minor league games and again got just a cup of coffee in the majors, going 1 for 10 with the 2007 Kansas City Royals.

Huber played for Australia in the 2007 Baseball World Cup and hit .381/.426/.476 with 9 RBI as the team went 6-1 in the round-robin before a poor 1-2 showing in the final round. Huber was the Australian team left fielder even though he was a first baseman in the US and Australia's 1B in the tourney, Brett Roneberg, played the outfield in the US. Huber drove in one of two Australia runs in a near-upset of the Cuban national team. Against South Korea, he scored the winning run in the 9th inning of a 2-1 victory.

In 2008, Huber batted .245/.318/.352 in 61 games for the Portland Beavers, a San Diego Padres affiliate. He also appeared in 33 games as a backup LF for the 2008 Padres, hitting .246/.303/.393. His first career MLB home run came on April 20 when he smacked a 3-run homer off Randy Johnson.

Huber was Australia's main left fielder in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. He went 1 for 11 with a walk, 2 runs and a RBI as their lightest-hitting starter. His only hit came in a key situation; down 2-1 in the 6th inning against the Cuban national team, he singled off Pedro Luis Lazo to tie the game, then came home on a James Beresford hit. Cuba rallied to win, though.

Justin signed with the Minnesota Twins organization for 2009. He hit .273/.356/.482 for their Rochester Red Wings affiliate with 22 homers and 76 RBI. He was slated to play for Australia in the 2009 Baseball World Cup but was called up right before the tourney began; James Linger replaced him on the Australian roster. With the 2009 Twins, Justin was 1 for 2.

Huber signed with the Hiroshima Carp for 2010. He debuted as their first baseman and #6 hitter on Opening Day, March 26. He went 2 for 4 before leaving for a pinch-runner.

Sources: 2001-2007 Baseball Almanacs, MILB.com, 2007 Royals Media Guide, World Baseball Classic site, IBAF site

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