Pacific Coast League
OMAHA, NE - The Kansas City Royals traded first baseman/outfielder Justin Huber to the San Diego Padres today, in exchange for a player to be named.
Huber, 25, has spent most of the past two seasons with the Omaha Royals and has made brief appearances with Kansas City the past three years after being acquired from the New York Mets on July 30, 2004.
In 2007, the native of Australia was limited to 77 games with Omaha due to a recurring hamstring pull, a calf injury and a virus. But, he was productive when he played, hitting .276 with 18 home runs and 68 RBI in 286 at-bats. Huber was recalled by Kansas City on September 4th and played in eight games, going 1-for-10. In November, he batted .381 for Australia in the World Cup in Taipei.
Huber opened the 2006 season with Omaha, hitting .278 with 15 homers and 44 RBI in 100 games, while being converted from first base to the outfield. He batted .200 (2-for-10) with one RBI in five games with Kansas City.
In 2005, Huber won the Texas League batting title with a .343 average for Wichita and was named by Kansas City as the organization's Minor League Player of the Year, as well as being selected to Baseball America's Minor League All-Star Team. He was also named the MVP of the 2005 XM Satellite Futures Game on July 10 in Detroit's Comerica Park. Huber appeared in 32 games with Omaha that season and saw his first big league action, playing in 25 games with Kansas City.
Entering the 2008 season, Huber was named by Baseball America as Kansas City's 17th-best prospect, after being rated #8 prior to 2007 and #3 entering 2006.
The Royals 2008 season opener is set for Rosenblatt Stadium on Thursday, April 3rd at 7:05 p.m. vs. the Albuquerque Isotopes. For tickets, call the Royals ticket office at (402) 738-5100, or order and print tickets online at
Omaha Royals: Home and at
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