Update: Per Patrick Mooney, the Cubs have officially hired Brad Mills in a role similar to Tommy Hottovy’s former gig as run prevention coordinator. In addition to assuming some of Hottovy’s duties, Mills will assist the new pitching coach with advanced scouting.

The Cubs have added former big-league pitcher Brad Mills to their pitching infrastructure, as Kendall Graveman hinted on MLB Network Radio. Mills will absorb some of Tommy Hottovy’s responsibilities and assist the new pitching coach with advance scouting. — Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) January 8, 2019

Mooney also tweeted that the Cubs have promoted Jeremy Farrell, son of John and brother of Luke, to minor-league field coordinator. That role had previously been held by Tim Cossins, who left to join Brandon Hyde’s staff in Baltimore.

New Cubs righty Kendall Graveman joined MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM to discuss his role with the in 2019 and beyond. Among the topics he discussed were his rehab from Tommy John surgery and his excitement about working with new Cubs coaches Tommy Hottovy and Brad Mills. Wait, what?

“I can be a student of the game and learn under these guys,” Graveman said (around 0:41 mark below) “You got Hottovy and…they just hired Brad Mills, who I played with. And I’ve heard nothing but good things about Hottovy as a pitching coach.

There’s been no official announcement from the Cubs — or anywhere, really — about the hire, but the team does have some spots to fill. And Mills, with whom Graveman played in 2014 and ’15 with the Athletics, may well be looking to transition to a new career path after being released by the Mariners in late September.

It’s possible Graveman just spilled the beans on the Cubs hiring his former teammate. If that’s indeed the case, maybe he’ll take over a role similar to Hottovy’s former position as run prevention coordinator. That is, after all, more or less how the new pitching coach transitioned from the mound to the staff. It’s not a by-the-book move, but it’d be pretty cool to have the 33-year-old Mills and 37-year-old Hottovy guiding the MLB pitching staff.