The Cubs have claimed outfielder Thomas Neal off waivers from the Yankees, according to MLB.com's Carrie Muskat (Twitter link). Neal, 25, was designated for assignment by the Yankees over the weekend. To make room on the 40-man roster, Rafael Dolis was transferred to the 60-day disabled list.
Neal received only thirteen plate appearances over four games with the Yankees this season after signing a minor league deal over the winter. Across 297 Triple-A plate appearances, Neal was producing at an attractive .325/.391/.411 clip. Once a highly-regarded prospect with the Giants, Neal is still only 25 years old. The move makes sense from the Cubs' standpoint, as the team recently designated Julio Borbon for assignment.
Jeff Todd contributed to this post.
