Chad Huffman
| AB | 32 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .219 |
| OBP | .306 |
| SLG | .281 |
| HR | 0 |
- Full name Chad Daniel Huffman
- Born 04/29/1985 in Houston, TX
- Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 215 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Texas Christian
- Debut 06/13/2010
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Drafted in the 2nd round (53rd overall) by the San Diego Padres in 2006 (signed for $660,000).
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Huffman is third of three brothers to double as college baseball and football players. Scott played linebacker and got a handful of at-bats at Rice, while Royce (now in Triple-A with the Astros) was a quarterback and infielder at Texas Christian. Chad has followed in Royce's footsteps in both sports for the Horned Frogs, and broke his school record for hits in a season as a freshman in 2004. A third-string quarterback, Chad appeals to baseball scouts solely for his bat. He should hit for average as a pro, and his power continues to develop. The question is what position he'll play. Though he has arm strength and athleticism, Huffman's footwork and range were lacking when he tried to play second base earlier this spring. Scouts aren't confident he can play third base, which would limit him to an outfield corner or first base--and require a lot more offense out of him than if he could handle second. His overall profile is similar to that of Royce, a 12th-round pick in 1999. Chad should go about seven rounds higher, and maybe as early as the third round to a team that believes he can adapt to the hot corner.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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In two seasons in Double-A, Huffman belted just 16 home runs in 168 games--including a mere four at home in San Antonio. Freed from an extremely tough park for righthanded power hitters, he slugged 20 homers and 30 doubles in Triple-A last season. Unfortunately, he showed many other limitations, including contact issues, a pull-centric approach and a susceptibility to offspeed offerings. A top college performer who won a Northwest League on-base percentage title (.439) in his pro debut, Huffman has a strong batting eye to go with the power to profile at an outfield corner. He can smoke quality fastballs, but righthanders with good breaking balls and lefties who work him soft away give him fits. His pull approach leaves him vulnerable on the outer half, and he hit just .185/.307/.323 in 130 at-bats against southpaws in 2009. He could hit for higher average if he committed to using center and right field. Huffman is a fringe-average runner and a merely adequate defender in left field or at first base. His arm is below-average. A high-energy player who exudes confidence, he looks like a future regular on his best days and a part-timer on his worst. He's likely facing at least another half-season in Triple-A after being added to the 40-man roster for the first time. His brother Royce, who like Chad played baseball and football at Texas Christian, has spent the last seven years in Triple-A, most recently with the Rangers. -
Huffman followed in the footsteps of his brother Royce by playing both baseball and football at Texas Christian. He led the Northwest League with a .439 on-base percentage in his 2006 debut, while also finishing second in batting (.343) and slugging (.576). He clubbed 15 homers in the hitter-friendly California League during the first half of 2007, but just 16 in a year and a half since in Double-A. That's at least partly attributable to San Antonio's Wolff Stadium, a tough park for righthanded hitters. Huffman has above-average raw power and knows the strike zone, but all of his pop is to his pull side because his long stride leaves him out of position to drive offspeed stuff the other way. His plate coverage and bat path are fine most of the time, so he produces enough line drives to hit for a solid average. He's an average runner at best. Despite his high-energy style of play, he shows below-average range and arm strength in left field. He played second base in college. The damage he has done versus Double-A lefties--.350/.434/.538 in 117 at-bats--suggests that Huffman should at least have a future as a platoon outfielder. Look for his home run output to increase in Triple-A this year. -
Like his two older brothers, Scott and Royce, Huffman played both college baseball and football. And like Royce, a first baseman who played for Triple-A Portland in the Padres system in 2007, Chad was a quarterback and infielder at Texas Christian. He led the short-season Northwest League with a .439 on-base percentage in his pro debut, while finishing second in hitting (.343) and slugging (.576). He tore up the hitter-friendly California League in 2007 before leveling off in Double-A. A physical player with above-average power, Huffman knows the strike zone and plays like his hair is on fire, as one club official puts it. With his long stride, his swing can collapse, which hinders the amount of damage he can do to the opposite field. A second baseman in college, he showed improvement in left field but still has below-average range and arm strength. He's an average runner at best. His athleticism and reflexes may not be enough to allow him to hit for both power and average at the major league level, though he should have enough bat for a platoon or part-time role. He'll get another crack at Double-A to begin 2008. -
Like his two older brothers, Huffman played both college baseball and football. And like Royce Huffman, a first baseman the Padres signed as minor league free agent in the offseason, Chad was a quarterback and infielder at Texas Christian. He broke Royce's school record for hits as a freshman in 2004, and the Padres signed Chad for $660,000 after making him their second-round pick last June. Scouts always have liked Huffman's bat, and he delivered in his pro debut, leading the Northwest League in on-base percentage while finishing second in hitting and slugging. He's a strong athlete with above-average power and a good hand path that should allow him to hit for average. He shows great plate coverage and tremendous balance throughout his swing, with the ball carrying very well off his bat. He thrives on competition, takes instruction well and always works to improve. Huffman has a tendency to get a little wide at the plate, becoming back-leg oriented and showing a little loop in his swing. A second baseman in college, he didn't have the range or footwork to profile as a pro infielder. His speed is average at best, and his range and arm are just playable in left field. Because he's advanced at the plate, Huffman could go straight to high Class A, and could challenge for a big league job in late 2008.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Like his older brothers Scott and Royce, Huffman played baseball and football in college, earning a spot as a third-string quarterback for Texas Christian. On the baseball field, he hit .388/.498/.742 with 18 homers and 71 RBIs as a second baseman for the Horned Frogs this spring. The Padres drafted him in the second round and moved him to the outfield, and Huffman just kept on hitting. Huffman has a quiet, balanced stroke--albeit with a bit of a loop in it--and rarely swings and misses thanks to his good plate coverage. He has above-average raw power, though he's still learning how to use it. He led the league with a .439 on-base percentage. "He gets an awful lot of carry on his balls, I don't know how he does it," Eugene manager Doug Dascenzo said. "There's been times he hit balls and I say, 'Man, I don't think he got that one,' and it just keeps going." Huffman's inexperience in left field is apparent, but he has shown an aptitude for the position and should be a passable defender despite his below-average arm.
