Three local HS grads go head-to-head on Triple-A diamond

Chad Huffman

The Columbus Clippers beat the Rochester Red Wings, 5-1, Tuesday. Three local grads went head-to-head in the match.

Elkins High School graduate Chad Huffman went 2-for-2 with a double in the win.

Huffman is a 2003 graduate of Elkins High School and went on to play college baseball at Texas Christian University. As a freshman at TCU (2004), Huffman was named Conference USA freshman of the year and first-team freshman all-American at outfielder after batting .383 with nine home runs and 44 RBIs. During his junior season, 2006, Huffman earned third-team college all-American honors at designated hitter in addition to being named a Mountain West Conference all-star first baseman. That season he batted .388 with 18 homers and 71 RBIs. Huffman was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the second round (53rd overall) of the 2006 Major League Baseball draft. Huffman signed with the Padres and appeared in 59 minor league games in 2006. He played 54 of those with Eugene of the short-season Single-A Northwest League and batted .343 with nine home runs and 40 RBIs to be named a Northwest League all-star outfielder and short-season A all-star designated hitter. Huffman spent the next three years in the Padres' system advancing as high as Triple-A Portland before being claimed off waivers by the New York Yankees prior to the 2010 season. He split the season between Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre and the Yankees, making his Major League debut on June 13, 2010. He hit .167 with two RBIs in 18 at-bats over nine games with New York. Huffman was claimed off waivers by Cleveland at the end of the 2010 season. He was born April 29, 1985, in Missouri City.

Cy Falls High School graduate Chase Lambin went 2-for-4 with an RBI in the loss for Rochester.

Lambin is a 1998 graduate of Cy-Falls High School. He played college baseball at University of Louisiana-Lafayette batting .300 with 13 home runs and 47 RBIs during 2002 for the Ragin' Cajuns. Lambin was selected by the New York Mets in the 34th round (1,017th overall) of the 2002 Major League Baseball draft. He spent five seasons in the Mets' system having his best campaign during 2003 when he batted .289 with 49 RBIs for St. Lucie of the Florida State League (High Single-A). Lambin was named a FSL all-star utility infielder. Lambin signed a minor league contract with the Florida Marlins prior to the 2008 season and spent 2008 and 2009 playing for the Marlins' farm system advancing as high as Triple-A. He hit .300 with 14 home runs and 54 RBIs for Albuqerque of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League during 2008, and the following season Lambin signed with Chiba Lotte of the Japanese Pacific League. He batted .192 in 58 games and returned stateside in 2010 signing a minor league deal with Washington. He spent 2010 at Triple-A Syracuse of the International League hitting .252 in 136 games. Lambin signed with Minnesota prior to the 2011 season. Through 2010, he is a career .272 hitter in 888 games in the minor leagues. Lambin was born July 7, 1979, in Houston.

The Woodlands High School graduate Danny Lehmann went 2-for-3 with a double in the Rochester defeat.

A 2004 graduate of The Woodlands High School, Lehmann played baseball for three seasons (2005 to 2007) at Rice University, appearing in 180 career games for the Owls. He posted a career .292 batting average in college with 14 home runs and 104 RBIs. Lehmann was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the eighth round (272nd overall) of the 2007 Major League Baseball. He was born Sept. 5, 1985 in Denver.