Today's Baseball Prospect of the Day

Justin Huber is a well-traveled young first baseman / outfielder currently in the San Diego Padres system. Originally a catcher, the onetime top prospect with the advanced hitting approach stumbled through scattered opportunities in the Mets system, then more recently spent several years as a rising power with the Royals. The rising tide of younger bats in KC floated Huber, who the Royals converted to a full-time first baseman, all the way to San Diego's harbourfront, though, where he's fighting to stick on the big-league Padre club today.

A native of Melbourne, Huber was originally drafted as an international free agent back in 2000 as a powerful righthanded hitter with awkward defensive shortcomings. Working his way through two different minor league systems, he's shown that he's capable of hitting near-.300 with 30-35 home run power, and it's that tantalizing potential that's ensured he's stayed on the radar for many scouts.

A .288 career hitter in the minors with a .495 slugging percentage, Huber used up his options in the rich Royals system by the end of 2007, and come 2008 there was nowhere left to hold him. With the Royals committed to Billy Butler and Alex Gordon, two other big bats short on glovework, Huber was the expendable piece.

While he's worked to become a serviceable first baseman over the years, defense is still is liability. He can play a below-average left field, an adequate first base, or an emergency third base, but he falls short at each position. His ideal parking place is at DH, but now that he's back in the National League, that seems unlikely.

Still capable of some very impressive offensive numbers, Huber may be hard pressed to find work in San Diego, where Adrian Gonzalez holds down first base. If he can get a bit better in the outfield, he could get a chance to take over right field in the second half of 2008, but the 26 year old is now a longshot to catch on as anything other than a major league journeyman at this late date. A trade back to the AL would be the best thing for him at this point.

Each and every day, TodaysProspect.com looks at a new up-and-coming player somewhere in baseball, helping you learn a little more about baseball's talent pool one day at a time.

To look back through earlier prospects of the day, click the 123 date boxes on the top right corner of this page.

Height: 6-2

Weight: 195

Birthdate: 7/1/1982

Bats: R

Throws: R

Team: SD

Birthplace: Melbourne, Australia

ABs pre-2008: 10