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MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 2: Aaron Hicks #32 of the Minnesota Twins hits an RBI single against the Kansas City Royals during the first inning of the game on October 2, 2015 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)

Yankees trade Murphy to Twins for Hicks

The New York Yankees have been very active on the trade market.

After trading infielder Jose Pirela to the San Diego Padres earlier in the day, the team announced that they have acquired outfielder Aaron Hicks from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for catcher John Ryan Murphy.

The trade makes sense for both sides, as both teams were able to  acquire a piece that should help them in the future.

In his first full season in the big leagues, John Ryan Murphy was rather impressive for the Yankees. In 67 games, Murphy .277 with 3 homers and 14 RBIs, and was able to stay sharp even though he didn’t receive a lot of playing time. As Kurt Suzuki is the Twins’ everyday catcher, it is likely that Murphy serves as the team’s backup for the time being, as it is likely he could be their future starter at the catcher position.

With Miguel Sano expected to transition into the outfield for the 2016 season, the Twins had a surplus of outfielders, making Hicks expendable.  The 26-year-old is a switch-hitter who has the ability to play all three outfield positions.

In 2015, Hicks hit .256 with 11 homers and 33 RBIs in 97 games. He was selected by the Twins in the first round of the 2008 MLB Draft, and is known for being an above-average defender. He has seen the majority of his MLB playing time in centerfield.

The Yankees have a logjam in the outfield right now, but this move definitely gives them the opportunity to be a little more flexible. With Chris Young currently being a free agent, it’s possible that Hicks could fill the fourth outfielder spot, as he has been better offensively against left-handed pitching in the past.

This move could also foreshadow another possible trade in the future. Rumors have swirled that the team was shopping Brett Gardner in trade talks, and if Gardner is dealt to another team, Hicks could slide right into an everyday position. According to General Manager Brian Cashman, the team views Hicks as an everyday type of player, so there definitely is a chance they try to find a way to get him in the lineup as much as possible.

Cashman also stated that he thinks highly touted prospect Gary Sanchez is MLB ready, so there is a chance that Sanchez can make an impact on the big league roster this season. The club also has Austin Romine, so both should be interesting candidates to fill the backup catcher role in 2016.

With the trade, the Yankees 40-man roster currently has 38 players on it.