ERIK HUBER

3/6/85; '07 12th; Eastern Illinois Univ.
R/R; 6-5, 230

Level	BA	OBP	SA	AB	2B	3B	HR	BB	K	SB	CS
2004 NCAA	.378	.429	.378	37	0	0	0	3	4	1	1
2005 NCAA	.322	.401	.407	202	11	1	1	16	18	13	1
2006 NCAA	.404	.496	.480	198	9	0	2	25	17	7	7
2007 NCAA	.409	.473	.679	159	14	1	9	20	10	4	3
2007 A-	.227	.308	.313	150	11	1	0	14	29	1	0
2008 A	.259	.320	.414	483	29	5	12	36	73	2	2
2009 A+	.262	.289	.336	122	9	0	0	3	17	1	0
2009 A	.318	.365	.455	277	19	2	5	15	35	4	0

Huber led the Ohio Valley Conference in hitting his last two years. In an article on the school's web site, he was quoted as saying he didn't regard himself as a power hitter. He did, however, add a lot of power in his senior year at the request of his coaches without sacrificing his contact ability at all. Still, it was just like the power-starved Dave Littlefield Pirates, after drafting no power hitters in the draft's first eleven rounds, to select a 6'5" corner player who viewed himself as a singles hitter. He played firstbase in college but the Pirates moved him to the outfield. As a senior he signed quickly. He played RF and DH for State College and didn't hit. His initial season was similar to that of another 12th round pick, Jason Delaney, including the fact that both showed passable plate discipline. Like Delaney, Huber did better in full season ball, although he didn't do quite as well as Delaney. The Pirates were impressed with him in spring training, but he had just a fair season, not hitting for enough power or a high enough average to mark himself as a prospect. He had a reverse platoon split. Huber split his time between LF and RF, and also played a little at 1B.

The Pirates sent him back to West Virginia in 2009, which was a setback given his age (24). He was the Power's best hitter at times during the first half of the season and the Pirates eventually promoted him to Lynchburg in mid-July. He was hot initially there, even having a six-hit game, but he quickly slumped. When they promoted Starling Marte to Lynchburg at the end of the year, Huber went back to West Virginia for the last few games. While in low A Huber split his time between 1B and DH, but he played only the OF, mostly right, at Lynchburg. If he returns in 2010, he'll probably be at Bradenton, but the Pirates aren't exactly pushing him upward.

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