Ben Cowles - MLB News, Rumors, & Updates

Demoted to Iowa The Cubs optioned Cowles to Triple-A Iowa on Sunday.

Impact Cowles opened spring training in the Blue Jays organization, but for the second time in less than two months, he ended up reuniting with the Cubs, who claimed him off waivers last week. The 26-year-old is expected to handle an everyday role in Iowa to begin the season and could receive his first big-league call-up if the Cubs require an extra infielder at any point.

MARCH 8 • ROTOWIRE

Blue Jays silently lose recent infield addition in wake of Max Scherzer signing He was only a member of the Toronto Blue Jays for a few weeks. It was a "blink and you'll miss it" type of tenure for Ben Cowles who has bec...

MARCH 2 • JAYSJOURNAL.COM

Cubs Roster Move: They Grabbed Ben Cowles Again Some teams like Ben Cowles enough to really want to keep him in their org - but only at Triple-A.

MARCH 2 • BLEACHERNATION.COM

Back with Chicago Cowles was claimed off waivers by the Cubs on Sunday.

Impact Cowles will return to the Cubs' camp after being designated for assignment by Chicago on Feb. 15 and ultimately claimed by the Blue Jays a few days later. The infielder appeared in five spring-training games in his time with Toronto, going 0-for-9 with five strikeouts. Cowles played in 113 games with Triple-A Iowa in 2025, batting .238 with nine home runs, 44 RBI, 55 runs scored and 16 stolen bases over 421 at-bats. He'll likely open the 2026 campaign at Triple-A if he sticks around with the Cubs' organization.

MARCH 1 • ROTOWIRE

Cubs lose 5-year veteran infielder to Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays claimed infielder Ben Cowles, a veteran of five seasons in the Chicago Cubs organization, off waivers Wednesday. In a...

FEBRUARY 19 • THEBIGLEAD.COM

Cowles addition puts pressure on Jiménez at Blue Jays camp DUNEDIN, Fla. -- The Blue Jays claimed infielder Ben Cowles off waivers from the Cubs on Wednesday afternoon. The move isn’t going to knock...

FEBRUARY 18 • MLB.COM

Scooped up by Blue Jays The Blue Jays claimed Cowles off waivers from the Cubs on Wednesday.

Impact Cowles slashed just .235/.300/.371 with nine home runs and 18 steals over 462 plate appearances at hitter-friendly Triple-A Iowa in 2025. The 26-year-old has some defensive versatility with the ability to handle shortstop, second base and third base. He's likely ticketed for Triple-A Buffalo to kick off the 2026 season.

FEBRUARY 18 • ROTOWIRE

Designated for assignment The Cubs designated Cowles for assignment Sunday, Jared Wyllys of AllCHGO.com reports.

Impact After being claimed off waivers by the Cubs in January, the 26-year-old will lose his place on the 40-man roster to clear space for the signing of Shelby Miller (elbow). Cowles will now be exposed to waivers, but he'll likely stick in big-league camp even if he goes unclaimed.

FEBRUARY 15 • ROTOWIRE

Cubs' Ben Cowles finds himself back in a familiar place after offseason move | Sporting News He could be in the mix as the year goes along.

JANUARY 27 • SPORTINGNEWS.COM

Heading back to Cubs The Cubs claimed Cowles off waivers from the White Sox on Thursday.

Impact Cowles went from the Cubs to the White Sox via waivers in September, and he's now headed back in the other direction. The infielder slashed only .235/.300/.371 with nine homers and 18 steals at the Triple-A level in 2025. Slated to turn 26 in February, Cowles is likely ticketed for Triple-A Iowa to start off the 2026 season.

JANUARY 15 • ROTOWIRE

DFA'd by White Sox The White Sox designated Cowles for assignment Thursday.

Impact Cowles struggled to perform consistently at the Triple-A level in 2025, turning in a .679 OPS across 527 plate appearances between the Cubs' and White Sox's affiliates. He'll now lose his place on the Sox's 40-man roster to make room for Drew Romo.

JANUARY 8 • ROTOWIRE

White Sox claim catcher Drew Romo off waivers from the Mets

The Chicago White Sox have claimed catcher Drew Romo off waivers and designated infielder Ben Cowles for assignment

JANUARY 8 • Associated Press

Moves to Southsiders The White Sox claimed Cowles off waivers from the Cubs on Wednesday and optioned him to Triple-A Charlotte.

Impact Cowles has had a rough season with Triple-A Iowa, slashing .242/.306/.389 with nine home runs and 16 stolen bases while striking out at a 28.6 percent clip across 462 plate appearances. He's just 25, though, and has a chance to carve out a career as a utility infielder.

SEPTEMBER 3, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

Booted from 40-man roster Chicago designated Cowles for assignment Monday, Andy Martinez of Marquee Sports Network reports.

Impact The Cubs needed the 40-man roster spot for Carlos Santana. Cowles has yet to make his MLB debut, and his numbers have taken a hit in 2025 after he was added to the 40-man roster last winter in order to keep him protected from the Rule 5 Draft. Cowles has slashed .238/.304/.382 with nine home runs, 44 RBI, 55 runs scored and 16 stolen bases at Triple-A this season. His strikeout rate has also ballooned to 28.6 percent from 17.7 percent last season.

SEPTEMBER 1, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

Booted from 40-man roster Chicago designated Cowles for assignment Monday.

Impact Cowles will cede his spot on the 40-man roster to first baseman Carlos Santana, who was signed to a one-year contract. Acquired from the Yankees last summer, Cowles has yet to make his MLB debut, and his numbers have taken a hit in 2025 after he was added to the 40-man roster over the winter. Cowles has slashed .242/.306/.389 with nine home runs and 16 stolen bases while striking out at a 28.6 percent clip across 462 plate appearances with Iowa.

SEPTEMBER 1, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

Sent to Triple-A The Cubs optioned Cowles to Triple-A Iowa on Sunday, Jared Wyllys of AllCHGO.com reports.

Impact The 25-year-old was added to Chicago's 40-man roster in November in order to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft, but he was never a likely candidate to make the Opening Day roster. Cowles spent last season at the Double-A level with both the Cubs and Yankees organizations, and he had a .286/.372/.457 slash line with nine homers and 14 steals in 92 games.

MARCH 9, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

Receives 40-man spot The Cubs selected Cowles to their 40-man roster Tuesday, Andy Martinez of Marquee Sports Network reports.

Impact Cowles was acquired from the Yankees at the trade deadline as part of the Mark Leiter deal, though a wrist injury limited Cowles to playing just four games with Double-A Tennessee at the very end of the year. Prior to his injury, the 24-year-old infielder had slashed .292/.372/.471 with 52 RBI across 379 plate appearances. He'll likely be bumped up to Triple-A Iowa for the start of 2025.

NOVEMBER 19, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Healthy heading into fall Cowles (wrist) went 1-for-13 with two walks and two runs over four games for Double-A Tennessee after being reinstated from the 7-day injured list Sept. 9.

Impact Acquired from the Yankees at the trade deadline July 30, Cowles wasn't expected to make his organizational debut with the Cubs until 2025 after he suffered a wrist injury when he was hit by a pitch in his final game for Double-A Somerset on July 25. Cowles ended up healing quicker than expected and got a few games under his belt with Tennessee, and he's now scheduled to pick up some more at-bats in the Arizona Fall League. Per Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times, Cowles was one of eight Cubs prospects assigned to the Mesa Solar Sox for the start of the Fall League, which begins Oct. 7.

SEPTEMBER 25, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Likely out for season Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said Wednesday that Cowles will likely miss the rest of the minor-league regular season as a result of being hit on the wrist by a p...

Impact Cowles was placed on Somerset's 7-day injured list this past Saturday before he was dealt to the Cubs three days later as part of a two-prospect package that sent reliever Mark Leiter to the Yankees. The Cubs were presumably aware of the nature and severity of Cowles' injury before the trade was agreed upon, and the wrist issue shouldn't dramatically affect the 24-year-old infielder's long-term outlook. He had been in the midst of a productive season with Somerset prior to getting hurt, slashing .292/.372/.471 with nine home runs and 14 steals over 88 games.

AUGUST 1, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Headed to Chicago The Cubs acquired Cowles (undisclosed) and right-hander Jack Neely from the Yankees on Tuesday in exchange for right-hander Mark Leiter, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Impact Cowles, 24, slashed .295/.376/.472 with nine home runs and 14 stolen bases over 88 games this season with Double-A Somerset before he was placed on the 7-day injured list Saturday with an unspecified injury. The Cubs likely aren't too concerned about the injury, given his inclusion in the trade. He can play second base, third base and shortstop and profiles as a potential utility infielder at the major-league level.

JULY 30, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Headed to Chicago The Cubs acquired Cowles and Jack Neely from the Yankees on Tuesday in exchange for Mark Leiter, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Impact Cowles, 24, has slashed .295/.376/.472 with nine home runs and 14 stolen bases over 88 games this season with Double-A Somerset. He can play second base, third base and shortstop and profiles as a potential utility infielder at the major-league level.

JULY 30, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

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White Sox claim catcher Drew Romo off waivers from the Mets