Cubs add OF Snyder

CHICAGO – The Chicago Cubs today claimed outfielder Brad Snyder off waivers from Cleveland and added him to the team’s 40-man roster. In a corresponding move, right-handed pitcher Adam Harben has been designated for assignment.

Snyder, 26, was originally selected by Cleveland in the first round (18th overall) of the 2003 Draft. He has batted .273 (641-for-2,345) with 132 doubles, 32 triples, 84 home runs and 356 RBI in 639 minor league contests, having spent the last two seasons at Triple-A Buffalo.

A left-handed batter and thrower, Snyder hit .246 (101-for-411) with 28 doubles, 12 homers and 61 RBI in 115 games for Buffalo this season as the team’s centerfielder, including a .271 average (39-for-144) following the Triple-A All-Star break. He hit .300 (27-for-90) with four home runs and 16 RBI in 24 July contests before ending the campaign with a .304 batting average (17-for-56) with runners in scoring position and two outs.

In 2006 with Double-A Akron, Snyder led the Eastern League with 86 runs scored, was second with 233 total bases and 135 games played, was fourth with 141 hits and fifth with 62 walks. He ended the campaign with a .270 batting average (141-for-523), 28 doubles, five triples, 18 homers and 72 RBI.

With Akron in 2005, Snyder was named the Eastern League Player of the Week ending August 7 after hitting .419 (13-for-31) with 11 RBI in seven games. Later that year, he batted .367 (36-for-98) with three homers and 19 RBI in 25 games for Mesa in the Arizona Fall League – his .367 batting average ranked sixth in the league.

Harben, 25, was 3-6 with a 5.37 ERA (35 ER/58.2 IP) in 23 games (seven starts) for Single-A Daytona this season, missing time on the disabled list with a left calf strain (June 6-17) and a right shoulder strain (August 10-September 11). He was acquired by the Cubs from Minnesota September 5, 2006, in exchange for infielder Phil Nevin.