COMPILED BY ALLAN SIMPSON
In Association with League Managers and Scouts
Bret Huber is from Belleville, Illinois and attended Althoff Catholic High School
Huber missed his freshman season at Mississippi while recuperating from Tommy John surgery, stemming from an elbow injury that occurred while he was a senior at an Illinois high school. Though he hadn’t pitched in the better part of two years and was used somewhat cautiously this summer, Huber was at least back on familiar turf in Illinois, and felt right at home. He was used mainly in a short relief role and was often dominating, going 2-1, 1.69 with a save and 34 strikeouts in 21 innings. He allowed just 12 hits while walking eight. While his velocity was inconsistent, Huber routinely ran his fastball into the 90-93 mph range and did it with such ease that it’s possible he could add another 2-3 mph to the pitch. But he also had his days when his fastball was only in the mid- to high-80s. Huber got good downhill plane on his pitches, as well, from his 6-foot-3 frame, and mixed in a slider and curve effectively. His poise and mound presence were readily apparent, and he seemed comfortable as a closer. Huber’s older brother Erik, a 6-foot-6 outfielder and 12th-round pick in the 2007 draft out of Eastern Illinois, continues to move up the ladder in the Pittsburgh Pirates system.