Contract Details:
40-man Roster.

Became a Cardinal:
Selected in the ninth round of the June, 2002 First-Year Player Draft. Received a $62,500 signing bonus.

2006 Season:
Hanson began the 2006 season with Triple-A Memphis, but after hitting just .220/.282/.291 in 67 games he was sent down to Double-A Springfield. He spent the rest of the season in Springfield, hitting just .226 in 66 games. He suffered an illness, reportedly a parasite, in spring training that caused him to lose about 15 pounds. Some say that he never fully regained his strength during the season.

Career Notes:
In 2004, Hanson was moved to second base, and hit .259 with two home runs and 35 RBIs before breaking his ankle in two places sliding into second base on July 3, and missing the remainder of the season.

Hanson returned to third base in 2005 and spent the entire regular season playing for Double-A Springfield where he hit .284 with 20 home runs and 97 RBI in 137 games. The Cardinals selected Hanson to play in the Arizona Fall League after the season and he hit .261/.306/.359 in 23 games for the Surprise Scorpions. He was then selected to play for Team USA in the Olympic qualifying tournament where he hit .333/.385/.417 and drove in three runs in 12 at-bats for the United States, playing in four of the five games. He was added to the Cardinals 40-man roster prior to 2006.

MISC:
Hanson was valedictorian of his high school class at South Kitsap, the largest high school in the state of Washington.

Photo: MLB Photos