Blue Jays claim outfielder Junior Lake on waivers

Junior Lake. (Nam Y. Huh/AP)

The Toronto Blue Jays added an intriguing name to their outfield mix Friday, claiming Junior Lake on waivers from the Baltimore Orioles.

When Lake debuted for the Chicago Cubs in 2013 he showed promise at the plate. The right-handed hitter posted a .760 OPS with six home runs and 16 doubles as a rookie, but he has yet to rediscover that form at the MLB level.

Lake spent the majority of the 2015 season with the triple-A teams of the Cubs and Orioles, batting .312/.405/.449 in 292 plate appearances. The 25-year-old didn’t fare as well at the MLB level, posting a .563 OPS with one home run in 29 games.

While the Blue Jays have a surplus of MLB outfielders, Lake could be a consideration at triple-A Buffalo if he doesn’t make the opening day roster.

Lake has shown versatility as a professional, playing all three outfield positions at the MLB level and playing all four infield positions at the minor league level.

The Orioles had designated Lake for assignment Dec. 10 to create room on their 40-man roster. The Blue Jays now have two open spots on their 40-man roster.

Bruce Levine of 670 The Score first reported the claim.

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