The Kansas City Royals have claimed right-handed pitcher Jairo Cuevas on Outright Waivers from the Atlanta Braves. With the claim, the Royals currently have 39 players on their Major League 40-man roster. Cuevas, 24, made just seven appearances (six starts) in the Braves organization this season for Mississippi (AA) and the Gulf Coast Braves (R). The 6-foot-2, 217-pounder underwent season-ending surgery on his labrum in his right shoulder on Aug. 22. The surgery was performed by Dr. James Andrews. The resident of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, was the 2005 Danville (R) Most Valuable Pitcher of the Year, going 6-1 with a 1.95 ERA in 27 appearances, including 23 starts. He was originally signed by the Braves as a non-drafted free agent on March 20, 2003. Cuevas was originally claimed by the Royals on Oct. 24 and then re-claimed by Atlanta on Nov. 26. His name is pronounced ?HIGH-row KWAY-vahs?.