Phil Hughes

Infobox MLB player

---

width = 250
name=Phil Hughes
position=Starting pitcher
team=New York Yankees
number=65
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1986|6|24
birthplace=city-state|Mission Viejo|California
debutdate=April 26
debutyear=2007
debutteam=New York Yankees
statyear=2008 season
stat1label=Wins-Loss
stat1value=5-7
stat2label=Earned run average
stat2value=5.15
stat3label=Strikeouts
stat3value=81
teams=
*New York Yankees (by|2007-present)

Philip J. Hughes (born June 24, 1986 in Mission Viejo, California) is a Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher, who was the first-round pick of the New York Yankees in the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft.

High school career and draft

Phil Hughes attended Foothill High School in Santa Ana, California, where he was a first-team High School All-American pitcher and threw one perfect game. During high school, he was an avid Red Sox fan. In his junior year (2003) he was 12-0, and posted an 0.78 ERA while striking out 85 batters in 72 innings. cite web |url=http://www.mlb.com/content/printer_friendly/nyy/y2004/m06/d07/c763733.jsp |title=Bombers take California righty |accessdate=2007-04-26 |author=Mark Feinsand |date=2004-06-07 |format= |work=mlb.com |publisher= |quote= ] In his senior year (2004) he had a 9-1 record, with a 0.69 ERA. His one loss came at the hands of Woodbridge High School in Irvine, California. In 61 innings, he gave up 40 hits and 3 walks, while striking out 83 batters.

Hughes first committed to Santa Clara University, but was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 1st round (23rd overall) in June by|2004. The Yankees were awarded this pick when they lost free agent pitcher Andy Pettitte to the Houston Astros.

Minor leagues and spring training

In 2004, he pitched 5 scoreless innings for the Gulf Coast League Gulf Coast Yankees, striking out 8.

Hughes spent by|2005, his first full professional year, split between the Yankees' Rookie League team and the Single-A Tampa Yankees. He went 9-0 with a 0.99 ERA, and in 860 innings gave up 54 hits while striking out 93.

After receiving a non-roster invitation to the Yankee's spring training, he returned to the Tampa club.

On May 3, by|2006, at the age of 19, Hughes made his first start with the Double-A Trenton Thunder.

In 2006 in the minor leagues, Hughes held opposing batters to a .179 batting average in 146.3 innings, while averaging 2 walks and 10 strikeouts per 9 innings pitched. [cite web |url=http://www.minorleaguesplits.com/pl/461/461833cumXXXp06.html |title=Philip Hughes 2006 Stats|accessdate=2007-04-26 |format= |work=minorleaguesplits.com] On June 13, 2006, Hughes took a no-hitter into the 6th inning, and threw a 1-hitter through 7 innings. On June 23, 2006, Hughes put forth another dominant start, taking a no-hitter into the 8th inning, and pitching 8 shutout innings. He became stronger as the year progressed; in August he gave up only 10 hits in 30 innings, while striking out 40. Hughes made one appearance in the Eastern League playoffs, earning a no-decision while pitching 6 innings of 1-run ball with 13 strikeouts.

In November 2006, Baseball America rated Hughes the Yankees #1 prospect, and as having the best curveball and best control in the Yankee system, called him "arguably the best pitching prospect in the minors," and projected him as the Yankees #1 starter in 2010. [cite web|url=http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/features/262804.html |title=2007 Prospects: New York Yankees Top 10 Prospects |accessdate=2007-04-26 |author= John Manuel|date=2006-11-08|format= |work=BaseballAmerica.com |publisher= |quote= ] Through 2006, in his minor league career Hughes is 21-7 with a 2.13 ERA in 237.1 innings (45 starts), in which he has averaged 5.7 hits, 2.0 walks, and 10.2 strikeouts per 9 innings.

Hughes was rated the #2 prospect in the minor leagues for by|2007 by Baseball Digest. [cite web |url=http://www.baseballdigestdaily.com/bullpen/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=179&Itemid=39 |title=Baseball Digest Daily's 2007 Top 100 Prospects: #1 - #50|accessdate=2007-04-26 |author=Joe Hamrahi |date=2006-12-20 |format= |work=baseballdigestdaily.com |publisher= |quote= ]
Brian Cashman indicated in December 2006 that he wanted Hughes to start the 2007 season in Triple-A, though he had the talent to start the season in the major leagues. [cite web |url=http://www.thetimes-tribune.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17599672&BRD=2185&PAG=461&dept_id=416049&rfi=6 |title=Farm taking root Yankees stockpile minors with legitimate prospects |accessdate=2007-04-26 |author=Chad Jennings|date=200-12-16 |format= |work=The Times-Tribune|publisher= |quote= ] In January 2007, the Yankees announced that Hughes was being invited to spring training. [cite web |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070112&content_id=1778420&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb |title=Hughes among Yankees spring invites |accessdate=2007-04-26 |author=Bryan Hoch |date=2007-01-12 |format= |work=mlb.com |publisher= |quote= ] After facing him in batting practice in spring training in February, Jason Giambi said: "He looks like a young Rocket." Ben Davis called his curveball "devastating," and Todd Pratt called it "deadly." cite web |url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/02232007/sports/yankees/hughes_da_man_yankees_george_king.htm |title=Hughes Da Man: Phenom compared to Rocket, Schilling|accessdate=2007-04-26 |author=George King |date=2007-02-23 |format= |work=New York Post |publisher= |quote= ] After catching Hughes in a spring training game in 2006, Yankees star catcher Jorge Posada said he had "the best arm in camp, no doubt about it," [cite web |url=http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060226&content_id=1323414&vkey=spt2006news&fext=.jsp |title=Hughes generating buzz |accessdate=2007-04-26 |author=Mark Feinsand |date=2006-02-26 |format= |work=yankees.mlb.com |publisher= |quote= ] . He began the 2007 pitching for the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre Yankees.

Major League

2007

Hughes, the second-youngest player in the American League in 2007, made his major league debut on April 26, 2007, against the Toronto Blue Jays wearing number 65 (he wears 65 because he wanted to wear a number ending in five, and every lower number ending in five was taken or retired (5 Joe DiMaggio, 15 Thurman Munson, 25 Jason Giambi, 35 Mike Mussina, 45 Carl Pavano, 55 Hideki Matsui). In four and a third innings, he allowed four runs on seven hits, earning his first career loss. In his second major league start on May 1 against the Texas Rangers, he was dominant and in control while maintaining a no-hitter through 6 and 1/3 innings before pulling his left hamstring on an 0-2 curveball to Mark Teixeira. [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/02/sports/baseball/02yankees.html?_r=1&oref=slogin A No-Hit Bid by Hughes Ends With a Leg Injury - New York Times ] ] He returned on August 4 against the Kansas City Royals, in a 4.2-inning no-decision.

Hughes made his first post-season appearance in 2007 against the Cleveland Indians, pitching in relief in Game 1. He relieved Roger Clemens and pitched 3.2 scoreless innings in Game 3. He struck out four and earned his first playoff win. The youngest person on the Yankees roster (Hughes, 21) replaced the oldest person on the roster (Roger Clemens, 45) when Clemens left with a hamstring injury.

2008

Prior to the by|2008 season, it was reported among numerous news sources that Hughes was coveted by the Minnesota Twins organization in a trade involving pitcher Johan Santana [ [http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2007/10/santana-for-mel.html Santana for Melky, Hughes, and Prospect? ] ] . Trade talks between the teams fell through, however, and Santana instead went to the New York Mets.

For the first half of the 2008 season, Hughes switched to number 34, a number he wore in high school and for the 2006 All-Star Futures Game. On April 30, he was placed on the disabled list with a strained oblique and cracked rib. On a May 2 visit to an optometrist, Hughes was found to be slightly nearsighted and has been wearing contact lenses on the mound. [ [http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080502&content_id=2627064&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb Hughes to wear glasses upon return] ] After recovering from the rib injury, Hughes spent the summer in Triple-A with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, where he helped them win the 2008 International League title.

After the IL playoffs, Hughes was recalled to the Yankees on September 13. On September 17, Hughes made his first start since April 29 against the Chicago White Sox at Yankee Stadium. He went four innings and was not part of the decision, giving up one earned run on four hits while striking out four. On September 24 against the Toronto Blue Jays, Hughes made probably the best start of his career. He went eight innings, giving up two earned runs on 6 hits while striking out six, earning a no decision in a duel against Toronto's ace AJ Burnett.

After his call up, Hughes was re-assigned the number 65 jersey. [http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/09/13/hughes-en-route-to-new-york/] Because injuries severely limited his workload during the season, the Yankees plan to send Hughes to the Arizona Fall League to get more work in. [http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/AAA_Playoffs/330505]

couting Report

He features:

*a 91-94 mph four-seam fastball, occasionally touching 95 mph

*an 87-90 mph two-seam fastball [ [http://www.moundtalk.com/prospects/philip-hughes-scouting-report/ Scouting Report by Koby Schellenger] ]

*a low-to-mid 70's 12-6 curveball

*a developing changeup in the low-to-mid 80s.

*a developing cutter in the low 90s. He worked on this pitch while he was recovering from a rib cage injury in 2008 to replace his slider. [cite web |url=http://www.pinstripealley.com/2008/8/8/589292/a-cutter-for-hughes
title=A Cutter for Hughes |accessdate=2008-09-08 |author= jscape2000 |date=2008-09-08 |format= |work=http://www.pinstripealley.com |publisher= |quote= ]

Blog

In January 2008, Phil started a blog on WordPress as a way to interact with fans. The blog as of June 2008, has moved to YardBarker. [ [http://www.yardbarker.com/users/PhilHughes Phil Hughes' Official Blog on Yardbarker] ]

Trivia

* As of September, 2008 he's the youngest player in the Yankees' 40-man roster.
* He's favorite bands are Breaking Benjamin, Evans Blue, Alkaline Trio, Thrice, Metallica and Red, Anberlin.
* He's an avid fan of the TV show The Office.

Awards and honors

*2004 - 1st team High School All-American P
*2005 - New York Yankees Minor League Player of the Year
*2006 Minor League Baseball's End-of-Season Prospect Rankings [cite web |url=http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/app/milb/news/top50/y2006_post.jsp?content=1 |title=2006 Minor League Baseball's End-of-Season Prospect Rankings |accessdate=2007-04-26 |author=Jonathan Mayo |date=|format= |work=minorleaguebaseball.com |publisher= |quote= ]
* Minor League News ranking - No. 45 - MLN 123 Baseball 2006 [cite web |url=http://www.minorleaguenews.com/baseball/features/articles2006/08/fab50/45.html |title=Minor League News ranking: No. 45 - MLN FAB50 Baseball 2006 |accessdate=2007-04-26 |author=Dan Hickling |date=2007-04-26 |format= |work=minorleaguenews.com |publisher= |quote= ]
* 2007 Ranked #3 on Moundtalk's Top 100 Prospects.
* 2007 Baseball America's Top 100 prospects #4. [ [http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/features/263445.html BaseballAmerica.com: Prospects: 2007 Top 100 Prospects ] ]

References

External links

*
* [http://philhughes.wordpress.com/ Phil Hughes' Old Blog]
* [http://www.yardbarker.com/users/PhilHughes Phil Hughes' Official Blog on YardBarker]
* [http://www.philiphughes.net Phil Hughes' Official website]
* [http://www.minorleaguesplits.com/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?pl=461833 Philip Hughes Minor League Splits and Situational Stats]