Tampa Bay Rays: Looking for the Next Retired Number

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Aubrey Huff (2000-2006)

Taken in the fifth round of the 1998 MLB Amateur Draft by the Tampa Bay Rays, Aubrey Huff was one of the first home grown stars in team history.

He made his debut just over two years later, getting into 39 games at the end of the 2000 campaign. he preformed relatively well, posting a .287/.318/.443 batting line with four home runs and seven doubles. Although he would slump the following year, Huff established himself as the Rays starting third baseman.

While he changed positions frequently through his time in Tampa Bay, Huff became one of the Rays top hitters. Overall, he produced a .287/.343/.477 batting line, hitting 128 homers and 172 doubles. Huff had four consecutive seasons with over 20 homers and more than 20 doubles. His best season came in 2003, where he had a .311/.367/.555 batting line, hitting 34 homers and 47 doubles.

Huff also proved to be versatile defensively. In his time with the Rays, he spent time at third, first, and right, providing solid defense at each position. Although his overall 11.0 WAR may be low by most standards, he was worth 12.7 wins above replacement during his final four and a half years with the Rays.

Aubrey Huff may not have been a star, but he was one of the first home grown players to make a significant impact with the Rays. Even though it may not seem like much, it could put him in the conversation to have his number 19 retired at some point in the future.