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February 08, 2013 - 11:16 AM
PHOENIX - The Arizona Diamondbacks and Aaron Hill have reached a deal that will keep him under contract through the 2016 season.
The deal adds three years and $35 million to his existing deal, which pays him $5.5 million this year. That means the overall contract is worth $40.5 million over the next four years.
The 30-year-old second baseman hit a career-high .302 with 26 home runs, 44 doubles and 85 RBIs last season, earning him a Silver Slugger award, the first for a Diamondbacks infielder. He came to Arizona as part of a trade with Toronto in August 2011 and was a big part of the team's stretch run to the NL West title that year.
The deal follows an agreement last week between Arizona and newly acquired third baseman Martin Prado on a four-year, $40 million contract.
Hill hit for the cycle twice in an 11-day span last season, against Seattle on June 18 and against Milwaukee on June 29. The only other player to hit for the cycle two times in a season during the modern era of baseball was Babe Herman of Brooklyn in 1931.
Hill was voted the 2012 team's most valuable player by the local chapter of the Baseball Writers of America.
Among second basemen since 2009, Hill ranks second in extra-base hits, third in total bases, home runs and RBIs and fourth in doubles. Only Dan Uggla (118) and Robinson Cano (111) have more home runs than Hill's 96 in that span.
He is a career .272 hitter with 124 home runs, 244 doubles and 510 RBIs in eight major league seasons.
Toronto traded Hill and shortstop John McDonald to Arizona on Aug. 23, 2011, in exchange for second baseman Kelly Johnson. Hill signed a two-year, $11 million contract after the 2011 season.
News from © The Associated Press, 2013