Cubs claim catcher Ryan Lavarnway and outfielder Shane Peterson off waivers

The Chicago Cubs today claimed catcher Ryan Lavarnway off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers and outfielder Shane Peterson off waivers from the Oakland Athletics.  

To make room on the 40-man roster, right-handed pitcher Donn Roach and infielder Logan Watkins were designated for assignment.

Lavarnway, 27, joins the Cubs after spending the last seven seasons in the Red Sox organization, including 97 games at the big league level between 2011-14. He was claimed off waivers by the Dodgers on December 5 and designated for assignment on December 10.

The 6-foot-4, 240-pound right-handed hitting catcher is a career .201 major league hitter (56-for-279) with five home runs and 34 RBI. He saw his most extensive big league action in 2012 (46 games) and 2013, batting .299 (23-for-77) with seven doubles, one home run and 14 RBI in 25 games for the 2013 World Champions. He missed more than two months last year with a left wrist strain and saw action in only nine big league games. He primarily played for Triple-A Pawtucket last year, hitting .283 (62-for-219) with three homers, 20 RBI and a .389 on-base percentage in 62 games.

Lavarnway was originally selected by the Red Sox in the sixth round of the 2008 Draft out of Yale University. He was named Boston's Minor League Offensive Co-Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons in 2010-11 and combined to hit .290 (126-for-435) with 23 doubles, 32 homers, 93 RBI and a .939 OPS in 116 games between Double-A Portland and Pawtucket in 2011 to earn his first promotion to the big leagues.  

Peterson, 26, batted .308 (167-for-543) with 40 doubles, 11 homers and 90 RBI with Triple-A Sacramento last season, earning Pacific Coast League midseason and postseason All Star honors. He posted a .381 on-base percentage and a .460 slugging percentage, good for an .841 OPS. Peterson led the league in hits and doubles and ranked second with 101 runs scored. He played 83 games in center field, 42 games in left field and nine games in right field.

The 6-foot, 210-pound Peterson was originally selected by St. Louis in the second round of the 2008 Draft out of Cal State-Long Beach and was acquired by Oakland as part of the trade that sent Matt Holliday to the Cardinals. He made his major league debut with the Athletics in 2013, going 1-for-7 (.143) with an RBI in two games.

Roach, 25, was claimed off waivers from the San Diego Padres on November 12. He went 1-0 with a 4.75 ERA (16 ER/30.1 IP) in 16 appearances, including one start, with the Padres last season, his first year in the big leagues.

Watkins, 25, batted .233 (24-for-103) with four doubles, one home run and six RBI covering the last two seasons with the Cubs. He was originally selected in the 21st round of the 2008 Draft.