Get to Know Your Natural, Brett Eibner

Northwest Arkansas Naturals and University of Arkansas fans will have a combined rooting interest in 2013 as former Diamond Hog Brett Eibner returns to Washington County for his first Double-A season. Eibner has played in five of the Naturals first six games, but Opening Day wasn't his first visit to Arvest Ballpark. Eibner, drafted in the second round by the Royals in 2010, signed his professional contract at Arvest Ballpark on August 16 of that year.

Eibner began his professional career in 2011 with Class-A Kane County. With the Cougars, Eibner hit .213 with 13 doubles, 12 home runs and 31 RBI. Last season, Eibner played for Class-A Advanced Wilmington, racking up 26 doubles, 15 home runs, 53 RBI and 164 total bases. Eibner also led the Carolina League with 165 strikeouts. In 196 career minor league games, Eibner has a .203 batting average with 141 hits, 39 doubles, 27 home runs and 84 RBI. This spring, Eibner had one plate appearance in the Cactus League, hitting a single in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on March 15.

While at Arkansas, Eibner had a career .294 batting average with 43 home runs and was 11-11 in 43 career appearances on the mound. In 2010, he was an All-American as well as a finalist for the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award after batting .333 with 17 doubles, 22 home runs and 71 RBI along with a 3-5 record in 15 appearances on the mound. Eibner played a key part in of one of the more memorable games in Arkansas baseball history, a 4-3 win over Virginia in the 2009 College World Series. With the Razorbacks trailing 3-1 with a runner on base and two outs in the ninth inning, Eibner hit the game-tying home run. Arkansas won the game, 4-3, in twelve innings before being eliminated by LSU in the semifinal round. As a freshman in 2008, Eibner earned a spot on Baseball America's Freshman All-American first team after leading the Razorbacks with 48 RBIs, becoming the first freshman to accomplish this feat since former Royals infielder Jeff King in 1984.

While at The Woodlands High School in Texas, Eibner was a teammate of Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Kyle Drabek. In 2006, The Woodlands won the Texas 5A State Championship and was the top-ranked team in USA Today's Super 25 baseball rankings. During his senior season in 2007, Eibner batted .412 and was undefeated on the mound, posting a 5-0 record. Eibner was drafted by the Houston Astros in the fourth round of the 2007 draft.

Eibner and the rest of the Naturals will return to Arvest Ballpark next Thursday to open a four game series against the Tulsa Drillers, Double-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. First pitch for Thursday, Friday and Saturday is 7 p.m., while Sunday's game begins at 2 p.m.

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals and play at state-of-the-art Arvest Ballpark, located in Springdale.  Visit our website, nwanaturals.com, for information on season tickets and ticket plans.

Hometown: The Woodlands, TX
Height: 6' 3''
Weight: 193 lbs
Career Games: 196
Career Batting Average: .203
Career Doubles: 39
Career Triples: 7
Career Home Runs: 27
Career Runs Batted In: 84
Twitter:  @Brett_Eibner