Former Hurricane Huff Called Up To The Majors

Aug. 1, 2000

Coral Gables, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) – The Tampa Bay Devil Rays placed third baseman Vinny Castilla on the 15-day DL (lower back inflammation). It’s his 3rd trip to DL this season. To replace Castilla, the Devil Rays have selected third baseman Aubrey Huff off the AAA Durham roster.

Huff, the Rays’ 2nd round pick in the June 1998 draft out of the University of Miami, is the Rays’ 4th draft pick to reach the big leagues (2nd from the 1998 draft joining tonight’s starter Ryan Rupe). He is the Rays’ first non-pitcher draftee to make it to the big league club. Huff is 6th in the International League in hitting (.314), 3rd in RBI (76), 3rd in hits (128), 4th in slugging (.563), 1st in XBH (58) and 3rd in runs (73).

At Miami (1997-98), Huff led a potent UM team that advanced to the College World Series in both seasons. Huff holds the UM single season record for RBI with 95 set in the 1998 season. His career batting average of .400 ranks him second at UM, behind the Philadelphia Phillies and former UM teammate Pat Burrell’s .442 career average. Additionally, his 96 hits in 1998 rank sixth on the all-time list, while his 31 career home runs also places among the top 10.