The Yankees Next Trade Target: Aaron Hill?

The Yankees have become one of the most talked about teams as the trade deadline looms. In recent weeks they have traded for Brandon McCarthy, Chase Headley, acquired Chris Capuano for cash, and are not done yet. There are rumors of trading to get former Yankee Ian Kennedy back and they are looking at Colorado’s Jorge De La Rosa. While the team definitely does need pitching, second base is also a massive hole for the team. Brian Roberts’ hitting is inconsistent, his defense is getting sloppier by the week, and he is at risk for injury every day. Just in time for the Yankees, Aaron Hill is reportedly on the possible trading block from the Arizona Diamondbacks.

You may know the name Aaron Hill from his days with the Toronto Blue Jays. The 32-year-old has been with Arizona since the 2011 season and signed a 5-year-deal to stay with the team before the 2012 season. He had a career year in 2009, hitting .286 with 36 home runs and 108 RBI and scoring 103 runs. However, he never quite matched that year again. He was injured for half of the 2013 season, though he hit .291 when he was playing. This season, Hill is batting .251 with 8 home runs and 49 RBI through 96 games. While those numbers are not exactly stellar, they are a tremendous upgrade to Brian Roberts. Additionally, Hill is much younger than Roberts (he will turn 33 turning spring training next season) and is under contract for the next 2+ seasons. While Hill is approaching the most expensive part of his contract, he is owed $11,000,000 in both 2015 and 2016, these are manageable numbers for the Yankees to handle. Remember, the less they pay of his salary the better the prospect must be to attain him. So, the Yankees should look to pay most, if not all, of Hill’s contract moving forward.

The Diamondbacks are not a lock to move Hill. Another element to consider is how lopsided the McCarthy for Vidal Nuno trade looks right now. While only a couple weeks in, the Diamondbacks may be looking for a little extra to make up for the Yankees seemingly pulling a fast one. It should be also noted that Cashman said that if and when Rob Refsnyder is called up to the Bronx, it will be as an outfielder. This little fact makes second base look even weaker than it should. Out of all the minor deals Brian Cashman is looking to make this week, securing Aaron Hill should be at the top of his list.