Koyie Hill, Cubs agree to $850,000 contract

[January 13, 2011]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Catcher Koyie Hill and the Chicago Cubs have agreed to an $850,000, one-year contract, avoiding arbitration.

The 31-year-old signed with the Cubs in 2007 and is entering his fifth season with them. He made 60 starts behind the plate and appeared in 77 games last season, batting .214 with one home run and 17 RBIs. Chicago is 84-72 in games he has started.

Five Cubs remain eligible for arbitration: pitchers Matt Garza, Tom Gorzelanny, Carlos Marmol and Sean Marshall, and catcher Geovany Soto.

The Cubs also agreed Wednesday to a minor league contract with outfielder Reed Johnson. Johnson played last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers after spending the previous two years with the Cubs.

Johnson batted .262 in 102 games last season and was a .287 hitter with 10 homers in his two years with Chicago. He has also played with Toronto.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.