Justin Huber

{{Infobox baseball biography

| image = HC-Justin-Huber2010.jpg

| caption = Huber with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp in 2010

| name = Justin Huber

| position = First baseman

| bats = Right

| throws = Right

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1982|7|1}}

| birth_place = Melbourne, Australia

| debutleague = MLB

| debutdate = 21 June

| debutyear = 2005

| debutteam = Kansas City Royals

| finaldate = September 11

| finalyear = 2009

| finalteam = Minnesota Twins

| finalleague = MLB

| final2league = NPB

| final2date = October 7

| final2year = 2010

| final2team = Hiroshima Toyo Carp

| debut2league = NPB

| debut2date = March 26

| debut2year = 2010

| debut2team = Hiroshima Toyo Carp

| statleague = MLB

| stat1label = Batting average

| stat1value = .224

| stat3label = Home runs

| stat3value = 2

| stat4label = Runs batted in

| stat4value = 15

| stat2league = NPB

| stat21label = Batting average

| stat21value = .220

| stat23label = Home runs

| stat23value = 7

| stat24label = Runs batted in

| stat24value = 17

| teams = * Kansas City Royals ({{mlby|2005}}–{{mlby|2007}})

San Diego Padres ({{mlby|2008}})
Minnesota Twins ({{mlby|2009}})
Hiroshima Toyo Carp ({{npby|2010}})

| hofcolor = #00843D

| hoflink = Baseball Australia Hall of Fame

| hoftype = Australian

| hofdate = 2021

}}

Justin Patrick Huber ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|h|juː|b|ər}}; born 1 July 1982) is an Australian former professional baseball player. A first baseman and outfielder, Huber has played in Major League Baseball, Nippon Professional Baseball, and the Australian Baseball League. He has also played for the Australian national baseball team in international competitions.

Career

= New York Mets =

Huber attended Beaconhills College and was signed as an international free agent as a catcher by the New York Mets in 2000.

= Kansas City Royals =

Huber was one of the top prospects within the Mets organisation when he was traded to the Kansas City Royals before the 2004 trade deadline for José Bautista. Huber underwent surgery to repair torn cartilage in his left knee in August, ending his season.{{citation needed|date=March 2013}}

This injury ended Huber's catching career, and by the time he made his major league debut on 21 June 2005, he was a first baseman. He made his first career appearance in the outfield on 17 September 2007 against the Chicago White Sox.

= San Diego Padres =

File:Justin Huber2.jpg

On 26 March 2008, Huber was traded to the San Diego Padres for a player to be named later.{{citation needed|date=March 2013}} He hit his first career home run on 20 April 2008, against Randy Johnson of the Arizona Diamondbacks. He became a free agent at the end of the season.

= Minnesota Twins =

Huber signed a minor league contract with the Minnesota Twins in February 2009 and Huber received a September callup when the rosters expanded.{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=408311|title=Justin Huber Player file|access-date=17 April 2009}}

He was released at the end of the season and signed with the Hiroshima Carp for 40 million yen with 5.5 million in bonuses.{{Cite web |url=http://yakyubaka.com/2009/12/08/hiroshima-carp-sign-justin-huber-and-jeff-fiorentino/ |title=Hiroshima Carp sign Justin Huber and Jeff Fiorentino – Yakyu Baka |access-date=22 November 2010 |archive-date=18 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170318105725/http://yakyubaka.com/2009/12/08/hiroshima-carp-sign-justin-huber-and-jeff-fiorentino/ |url-status=dead }}

On 19 November 2010 while playing for the Melbourne Aces in the Australian Baseball League he was re-signed by the Twins to a minor league contract.{{Cite web |url=http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101119&content_id=16164798&vkey=news_min&c_id=min |title=Twins add four players to 40-man roster |access-date=22 November 2010 |archive-date=4 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121004051632/http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101119&content_id=16164798&vkey=news_min&c_id=min |url-status=dead }} After a poor spring, he was released by the Twins to make room for Scott Diamond.

He signed with Somerset Patriots of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball for 2011 season.{{citation needed|date=March 2013}}