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The Blue Jays claimed Cowles off waivers from the Cubs on Wednesday.
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.
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Cubs' Ben Cowles: Loses 40-man roster spot
Rotowire
The Cubs designated Cowles for assignment Sunday, Jared Wyllys of AllCHGO.com reports.
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.
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Cubs' Ben Cowles: Heading back to Cubs
Rotowire
The Cubs claimed Cowles off waivers from the White Sox on Thursday.
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.
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White Sox's Ben Cowles: DFA'd by White Sox
Rotowire
The White Sox designated Cowles for assignment Thursday.
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, who was claimed off waivers.
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White Sox's Ben Cowles: Joins up with South Siders
Rotowire
The White Sox claimed Cowles off waivers from the Cubs on Wednesday and optioned him to Triple-A Charlotte.
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 year old, though, and he still has a chance to carve out a career at the big-league level as a utility infielder.
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Cubs' Ben Cowles: Booted from 40-man roster
Rotowire
Chicago designated Cowles for assignment Monday.
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.
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Cubs' Benjamin Cowles: Sent to Triple-A
Rotowire
The Cubs optioned Cowles to Triple-A Iowa on Sunday, Jared Wyllys of AllCHGO.com reports.
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.
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Cubs' Benjamin Cowles: Receives 40-man spot
Rotowire
The Cubs selected Cowles to their 40-man roster Tuesday, Andy Martinez of Marquee Sports Network reports.
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.
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Cubs' Benjamin Cowles: Healthy heading into fall
Rotowire
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.
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.
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Cubs' Benjamin Cowles: Likely out for season
Rotowire
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 pitch in his final game with Double-A Somerset on July 25, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
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.
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Cubs' Benjamin Cowles: Headed to Chicago
Rotowire
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.
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.
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