D-backs agree to a three-year extension with Aaron Hill

PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks announced they have agreed to a three-year extension through 2016 with infielder Aaron Hill, according to D-backs Executive Vice President & General Manager Kevin Towers.

Hill, 30, was the first D-backs infielder to earn a Silver Slugger Award^® in 2012 after hitting a career-high .302 (184-for-609) with 44 doubles, 6 triples, 26 home runs and 85 RBI in his first full season with Arizona. He established career-highs in slugging percentage (.552), OPS (.882) and extra-base hits (76) on his way to being selected as the D-backs' Most Valuable Player by the Arizona chapter of the BBWAA.

The 5-foot-11, 205-pound Scottsdale resident also was named to The Sporting News 2012 NL All-Star Team and as a finalist for the Hank Aaron Award, which recognizes the most outstanding offensive performer in each league.

Hill's Silver Slugger season included hitting for 2 cycles (June 18 vs. Mariners and June 29 @ Brewers), the second player in the modern era of Major League Baseball to record multiple cycles in a season (also Brooklyn Robins' Babe Herman in 1931) and fourth in baseball history (also Cincinnati Red Stockings' John Reilly in 1883 and St. Louis Browns' Tim O'Neill in 1887).

Since 2009, Hill ranks among all Major League second basemen in extra-base hits (2nd, 234), total bases (3rd, 1,046), home runs (3rd, 96), RBI (3rd, 321), doubles (4th, 129), hits (4th, 611) and slugging percentage (5th, .451). His 96 homers trail just Dan Uggla (118) and Robinson Cano (111).

Hill, a member of the 2009 American League All-Star Team, is a career .272 (1,104-for-4,059) hitter with 244 double, 124 home runs and 510 RBI in 1,064 games with Toronto (2005-11) and Arizona (2011-12). He was acquired from the Blue Jays on Aug. 23, 2011 with infielder John McDonald in exchange for infielder Kelly Johnson.