Cubs bring up Micah Hoffpauir

CHICAGO – The Chicago Cubs today placed infielder Daryle Ward on the 15-day disabled list (retroactive to May 14) with a bulging disc in his lower back and selected the contract of infielder Micah Hoffpauir from Triple-A Iowa.

Hoffpauir, who joins his first major league roster, will wear uniform No. 6 and be available for this afternoon’s game vs. the Pittsburgh Pirates. Chicago’s 40-man roster now stands at 40 players.

When he makes his major league debut, Hoffpaiur will become the 14th “home-grown” player to appear for the Cubs this season.

The 28-year-old Hoffpauir is in his seventh professional season after being selected by the Cubs in the 13th round of the 2002 Draft. Hoffpauir batted .324 (11-for-34) with three home runs, 12 RBI and a .676 slugging percentage in nine games for Iowa this season after missing the first month with a strained left oblique.

Hoffpauir last season batted a career-best .319 (99-for-310) with 24 doubles, 16 home runs and 73 RBI in 82 games with Iowa to earn Pacific Coast League All-Star honors before a right-knee injury ended his campaign in early July.

In 613 career minor league contests, Hoffpauir has batted .281 (615-for-2,190) with 74 home runs and 379 RBI.

Ward is batting .200 (5-for-25) with one home run, six RBI and a .412 on-base percentage in 30 games with the Cubs this season, including 23 pinch-hit appearances.