Born in Picayune, Mississippi, Hughes attended Picayune Memorial High School, before matriculating at Pearl River Community College. During his final college season, he hit .404 with 17 home runs and 70 RBIs in only 171 at-bats, while pitching 23.1 innings with a 2.70 ERA, striking out 25 and walking 6. In the summer of 2004, Hughes played for the Duluth Huskies in the summer collegiate Northwoods League. Hughes was drafted in the 2003 MLB draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 50th round (1462nd overall), but chose to stay in school at Pearl River Community College. In the 2004 MLB draft, he was selected in the eighth round (225th overall) by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, receiving a $275,000 signing bonus.\n', '

Hughes made his professional debut in 2005 with Short-Season A Hudson Valley, where in 58 games, he hit .279 with 8 HR and 30 RBI. Hughes played 2006 with Single-A Southwest Michigan, where in 114 games, he hit .233 with 3 HR, 39 RBI and 102 strikeouts in a down year. Hughes began 2007 with High-A Vero Beach, where he hit .329 with 12 HR and 57 RBI in 94 games before earning a promotion to Double-A Montgomery on August 1. In 115 games in 2007, he hit .323 with 14 HR and 72 RBI. Hughes played 2008 with Montgomery, where in 107 games, he hit .268 with 14 HR, 52 RBI and 112 strikeouts. After 2008, he played in the offseason in the Arizona Fall League with Peoria, where in 27 games, he hit .394 with 5 HR, 27 RBI and 12 doubles.\n', '

Hughes began 2009 with Montgomery, where he was a Southern League All-Star, joining fellow Biscuits Jeremy Hellickson, Desmond Jennings and Eddie Morlan. In 58 games with Montgomery in 2009, he hit .252 with 15 HR, which led the league at the time of his promotion, and 46 RBI. On June 9, Hughes was promoted to Triple-A Durham.\n', '

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