The Nationals have traded veteran catcher Koyie Hill to the Phillies in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations, tweets MLB.com's Bill Ladson. Hill had been reassigned to minor league camp by the Nats earlier today after inking a minor league contract with an invite to big league camp this offseason.
Hill, who turned 35 last week, has racked up a fair amount of playing time as a backup catcher despite underwhelming numbers at the Major League level. In parts of 10 Major League seasons, the switch-hitter has compiled a .206/.266/.287 batting line with eight homers in 1027 plate appearances. Hill spent the 2013 campaign with the Marlins, batting .155/.183/.190 in the Majors (61 PAs) and .237/.291/.326 at Triple-A. He's a career .268/.326/.411 hitter at the Triple-A level. He should provide some veteran leadership for the remainder of camp and serve as depth for the Phillies, who figure to open the season with Wil Nieves as the primary backup to starter Carlos Ruiz.
Fun fact: I have a shiny Bowman 1st card of Koyie, so I have always secretly wanted him to succeed. 🙂
there is something to respect about a man who stays in the game this long with this little success. Must really love baseball!
I respect him just for toughing it out after his little “boo-boo” with his ill-fated home improvement project. The guy came within centimeters of basically having no hand and here he is six years later. Gutsy dude.
Ladies and gentlemen, Ruben Amaro Jr.!!!
Koyie is a a top shelf character guy and a veteran who calls a good game. If you’re putting that much hope in your pitching for the year and you don’t have alternatives in the upper minors, you could do worse than stashing him in AAA, I guess. Still, he can’t hit at all and I’m not sure he throws out baserunners so well anymore either.
Very good at calling games- his last game that he called last year was a no hitter.
backing up Rupp in Lehigh… I guess they wanted to give Marson a chance to play somewhere.
Not a bad move, he’s not going to be on the opening day roster, good backup for Rupp, some
Depth, can really argue about it, decent move
Yes you can argue it because he’s not a guy you trade (anything) for regardless if it’s a bucket of balls.
Why didn’t we just keep marson. I would have liked to see him here upon injury.
John Mayberry Jr. :Fingers Crossed!:
For the Red Sox’s Catcher.
As the PTBNL in the Koyie trade haha
Why? Why trade for the guy?
Too young!
what a joke.
I don’t understand this trade.
What in the world….
AAA player/coach
I suppose this is easier than running up a flag that sez, ‘we don’t know what the hell we’re doing!’