The Mariners continue to add to their farm system with the addition of Adam Hill and are positioned to have 3 picks in the top 70 overall in the 2020 MLB First-Year Player Draft. Hill was ranked as the #24 prospect in the Brewers system.

Catching depth is a position of strength for the Mariners, with Tom Murphy and Austin Nola each remaining on the roster having caught meaningful innings with the club last season. Also in the wings, awaits Cal Raleigh who blasted 29 home runs last season, more than any other catching prospect in the minor leagues.

The Mariners already thought they could see Raleigh in the Majors in 2020, and by trading Narváez, that scenario becomes even more of a possibility. Until Raleigh’s arrival, the club believes the catching position will remain in good hands under the watch of Murphy and Nola.

Full trade details below.

SEATTLE, Wash. — Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto announced today that the Mariners have acquired right-handed pitcher Adam Hill and a 2020 Competitive Balance Round B selection from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for catcher Omar Narváez.

Seattle’s 40-man roster is now at 38.

“We were fortunate in 2019 to develop really good depth at the catcher spot, with Omar, Tom Murphy and Austin Nola at the big league level, and Cal Raleigh rising quickly in our minor league system,” Dipoto said. “That depth allowed us to make a move today that we think will pay long-term dividends to us, while not impacting us in the short term.”

Hill, 22, went 7–9 with a 3.92 ERA (121.2 IP, 53 ER) in 26 games (23 starts) with Milwaukee’s Single-A affiliate, striking out 109 batters, and was a Mid-Season All-Star with Wisconsin after going 6–4 with a 4.11 ERA (65.2 IP, 30 ER) in the first half. The 6-foot-6, 225-pound right-hander’s 3.92 ERA and his 121.2 IP both ranked 10th in the Midwest League.

Hill was originally drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 39th round of the 2015 MLB Draft, but did not sign. After three seasons at the University of South Carolina, he was drafted by the New York Mets in the 4th round (110th overall) of the 2018 First-Year Player Draft. He began his professional career with the Short-Season Single-A Brooklyn Cyclones, where he went 1–1 with a 2.35 ERA (15.1 IP, 4 ER) over 9 relief appearances. On January 5, 2019, he was part of a 3-player package sent by the Mets to Milwaukee in exchange for outfielder Keon Broxton.

The Mariners also received Milwaukee’s Competitive Balance Round B selection in 2020. Under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, 10 teams that fall in the bottom of revenue and/or market share are awarded compensation picks in the Draft in either Competitive Balance Round A or Round B. Round B will take place immediately after Round 2. In 2019, Seattle selected RHP Isaiah Campbell 76th overall in Competitive Balance Round B. In 2020, Competitive Balance Round B is expected to encompass picks 68–73.

Narváez, 27, hit .278 (119x428) with 63 runs, 12 doubles, 22 home runs, 55 RBI, 47 walks, a .353 on-base percentage and a .460 slugging percentage (.813 OPS) in 132 games with Seattle in 2019, and was named the Mariners nominee for the Hank Aaron Award. Among catchers, his 22 home runs ranked 5th in the American League and 8th in the Majors, while his 22 home runs ranked T2nd-most by Mariners catchers in a season (also: Mike Zunino, 2014), trailing only Zunino’s 25 in 2017. He became 1 of 5 Mariners catchers (done 11 times) to record at least 100 hits in a season, the first to do so since Miguel Olivo (107 in 2011). He finished the season ranked 2nd in walks among American League catchers, while coming 3rd in runs and in hits, 5th in home runs, T6th in extra-base hits (34) and 9th in RBI. Narváez was acquired by Seattle from Chicago-AL on November 30, 2018 in exchange for RHP Alex Colomé.

A native of Maracay, Venezuela, Narváez was originally signed by Tampa Bay as a non-drafted free agent on July 4, 2008. In 4 Major League seasons with the White Sox (2016–18) and Mariners (2019), he is a career .276 (293x1062) hitter with 34 home runs, 109 RBI, 137 walks, a .361 on-base percentage and a .411 slugging percentage (.772 OPS) in 353 career games.