Koyie Hill
| Koyie Hill | |
|---|---|
| Chicago Cubs – No. 55 | |
| Catcher | |
Bats: Switch Throws: Right | |
| debut | |
| September 5, 2003, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |
| Career statistics (through June 29, 2007) | |
| Batting average | .224 |
| Home runs | 2 |
| Runs batted in | 17 |
| Teams | |
| |
Koyie Dolan Hill (pronounced 'Koy') was born March 9, 1979 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.He is now the Chicago Cubs backup catcher, because Henry Blanco is on the Disabled List. Hill is a switch hitter and throws right handed.
Baseball Career
While attending Wichita State University, Hill compiled a .355 batting average and 186 runs batted in primarily as a third baseman.
In 1999, Hill played as the second baseman for Team USA. In the games, he totaled a .284 batting average, 3 home runs, and 21 runs batted in.
Hill made his long awaited debut in the Majors in 2003 with the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, at the time, all-star catcher Paul Lo Duca was cemented as the Dodgers catcher, making Hill expendable. On July 31, 2004, Hill was one of the most prominent names in a trade, going from the Los Angeles Dodgers to the Arizona Diamondbacks for veteran Steve Finley. He would go on to hit .250 with 1 home run and 6 runs batted in during 2004 before breaking his ankle in a collision at home plate.
In 2005, Hill began the season as the starting catcher for the Diamondbacks. His offense, however, did not perform at the level expected, as he would spend the majority of the year platooning with backup catcher Chris Snyder. Having played in only 34 games in 2005, many in the Major League Baseball community felt as though Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin did not give Hill ample time to develop.
Koyie entered the Diamondbacks 2006 spring training camp locked in a battle with Snyder for the backup role to Johnny Estrada, a major offseason acquisition of the Diamondbacks. Although Hill compiled an impressive spring camp (15-30 for a .500 batting average), on April 2, Hill was designated for assignment. On April 6, the Yankees picked him up on waivers only to designate him for assignment on April 14, 2006. On April 17, he accepted an assignment to the Yankees' Triple-A (AAA) team, The Columbus Clippers. Once the 2006 season concluded, Hill was released from the Yankees organization. On November 16, 2006, Hill signed a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs.
On June 1, 2007, Hill was called up to replace the injured Henry Blanco. Hill saw action later that day as he was put in to the game in the top of the sixth inning after Michael Barrett was taken out of the game after Barrett scuffled with teammate Carlos Zambrano.
Personal life
- Koyie Hill and his wife, Meghan, have one daughter, Phoenix Rose, who was born on September 27, 2004.
- Hill graduated from Eisenhower High School in Lawton, Oklahoma.