MIAMI -- Former Yale catcher Ryan Lavarnway '09 is back in the big leagues, as he was called up to the Miami Marlins Tuesday prior to their game at Baltimore. Lavarnway, signed by the Marlins as a free agent this past December, has now been in the majors in nine of the last 10 seasons.
 
The call to the big leagues comes less than two weeks after Opening Day. Following Summer Camp, Lavarnway had been assigned to the Marlins' Alternate Training Site in Jupiter, Fla., where he remained part of Miami's pool of 60 players. 
 
Last season Lavarnway appeared in five games for the Cincinnati Reds, hitting .278 with a .316 OBP and a .722 slugging percentage. He had two home runs and seven RBIs. Prior to signing with the Reds, Lavarnway was with the New York Yankees' Triple-A affiliate in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Near the end of the season he signed a Minor League contract with the Cleveland Indians.

The former sixth-round pick by the Red Sox made his MLB debut for Boston in 2011 and played parts of four seasons there. He has also played for Atlanta, Baltimore, Oakland and Pittsburgh. 

At Yale Lavarnway earned multiple All-America selections. In 2008 he was a semifinalist for the Johnny Bench Award and the Golden Spikes Award. That season he led the Ivy League in home runs (13), RBIs (42), walks (29), slugging percentage (.824) and on-base percentage (.541), setting the Ivy League career home run record (33).

Yale has had 30 MLB players in its history.