Chad Huffman

Chad Daniel Huffman (born April 29, 1985) is an American professional baseball infielder and outfielder in the St. Louis Cardinals organization. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the New York Yankees, and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Chiba Lotte Marines.

Career

Huffman played for the TCU Horned Frogs baseball team from 2004–2006 and TCU Horned Frogs football team from 2003–2005. With the baseball team, he was named to the All-Conference USA Tournament Team in both 2004 and 2005.

Huffman was selected by the San Diego Padres in the second round (53rd overall) of the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft out of Texas Christian University.

Huffman won the 2009 AAA Home Run Derby in Portland's PGE Park as a member of the hometown Portland Beavers.

Huffman was waived by the Padres prior to the 2010 season to make room on the 40 man roster for Matt Stairs. He was claimed off waivers by the Yankees.

On June 13, 2010, the New York Yankees recalled Huffman to replace the injured Marcus Thames. Prior to the call up, Huffman hit .279 with 5 home runs, 22 RBIs, and an on-base percentage of .344 over 190 at bats with the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. On June 13, 2010 Huffman had his first career hit in his first Major League at bat.

In perhaps his biggest at bat to date, Huffman helped fuel a dramatic come from behind win against the Los Angeles Dodgers with a ninth-inning bases-loaded two-run single on June 27, 2010. While at first base, he shared the moment with James Loney, a high school teammate at Elkins High School in Missouri City, Texas.

Huffman was designated by assignment by the Yankees on September 15. On September 17, he was claimed by the Cleveland Indians and optioned to the Triple-A Columbus Clippers. Huffman was removed from the 40-man roster on November 3 and sent outright to Columbus.

On December 14, 2013 Huffman signed a one-year deal worth $150,000 plus incentives with the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. During the 2014 season, Huffman batted .270 with 20 doubles, four home runs and 28 RBIs in 67 games. During the 2015 season, he went just 1-for-11 in six games.

On December 30, 2015, Huffman signed a minor league contract with the Detroit Tigers.

On November 18, 2016, Huffman signed a minor league deal with the St. Louis Cardinals that included an invitation to spring training.

Awards and honors

• 2004 All-Conference USA Tournament Team
• 2004 C-USA Freshman of the Year
• 2004 Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American
• 2005 Louisville Slugger Second-Team Pre-season All-American
• 2005 All-Conference USA Tournament Team
• 2005 2nd-team all-Conference C-USA
• 2006 NCBWA preseason second-team All-American
• 2006 Louisville Slugger Third-Team All-American
• 2006 NCBWA 3rd team All-American
• 2006 Rivals.com Honorable Mention All-America
• 2006 Northwest League Player of the Week
• 2006 Northwest League Post-Season All-Star
• 2006 Baseball America Short-Season All-Star
• 2007 California League Mid-Season All-Star
• 2008 Texas League Mid-Season All-Star
• 2008 Arizona Fall League Rising Stars
• 2009 AAA Home Run Derby winner
• 2010 Inducted into the Elkins HS Baseball Hall of Fame

• ^
• GoFrogs.com Chad Huffman Earns Conference USA Freshman Of The Year; May 25, 2004
• ^ GoFrogs.com Three Horned Frogs Named to the "Louisville Slugger's" Freshmen All-American Team ; June 11, 2004
• GoFrogs.comHuffman named NCBWA preseason second-team All-American; Dec. 14, 2005
• ^ GoFrogs.com Huffman named Third-Team All-American by Louisville Slugger; June 4, 2006
• GoFrogs.com Huffman honored by Rivals.com; June 26, 2006
• "Player profile". MiLB.com. Retrieved 2009-05-27. 

Personal

He is the son of Debbie and Royce Huffman (TCU Horned Frogs football player 1969-73), and has two older brothers, Royce Jr., an all-conference performer in TCU Horned Frogs football and TCU Horned Frogs baseball from 1995–99, and Scott, who played football and baseball at Rice University from 1998-02.