Koyie Hill

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Koyie Hill (pronounced “Koy”) is a former American baseball catcher who played in Major League Baseball from 2003 to 2014. He played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago Cubs, Miami Marlins, and Philadelphia Phillies. Hill batted switch and threw right. He later tried a comeback with the Kansas Stars in 2016.

Born March 9, 1979, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Hill attended Wichita State University, where he hit .355 with 186 RBIs, mostly as a third baseman. He also played for Team USA in 1999 as a second baseman, batting .284 with 3 home runs and 21 RBIs.

Hill made his MLB debut with the Dodgers on September 5, 2003. Behind catcher Paul Lo Duca, he mostly served as a backup. On July 31, 2004, he was traded to the Diamondbacks for Steve Finley. In 2004 he hit .250 with 1 home run and 6 RBIs before an ankle injury shortened his season. In 2005 he started as Arizona’s catcher but spent much of the year platooning. In 2006 he competed for a backup role, was designated for assignment, and briefly spent time with the New York Yankees organization.

The Chicago Cubs signed Hill to a minor league deal in 2006, and he was called up in 2007 to replace the injured Henry Blanco. He played for the Cubs through 2012, mostly as a backup catcher. His best Cubs season was 2009, when he hit .237 with 2 home runs and 24 RBIs in 83 games. He also appeared for the Cubs in 2010 and 2011 before being non-tendered after the 2011 season.

Hill then spent time in the minors with several organizations and had short stints with the Marlins in 2013 and the Phillies in 2014, where he appeared in 10 games. His final MLB appearance was July 20, 2014. Across his career, Hill batted .207 with 8 home runs and 77 RBIs.

A notable life event occurred on October 16, 2007, when a table saw cut off part of his thumb and injured his other fingers. After extensive therapy, he recovered the use of his hand. Hill and his wife Meghan have two daughters, Phoenix and Charley. He graduated from Eisenhower High School in Lawton, Oklahoma.