Chicago Cubs designate former Toronto Blue Jays infielder for assignment

The Chicago Cubs have designated infielder Ben Cowles for assignment, according to MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian.

At 26, Cowles has been hovering on the edge of major league rosters.

The Cubs added him to their 40-man roster in November 2024, but he’s since been shuffled around multiple times.

He was designated for assignment last September, claimed by the White Sox, and then moved between the Cubs and Blue Jays over the offseason through a series of waiver claims.

Despite his time on several rosters, Cowles has yet to make his MLB debut, largely due to underwhelming production in the minors.

He posted a solid .286/.372/.457 slash line in Double-A in 2024, which earned him a spot on the Cubs’ roster.

However, his performance in Triple-A since then has dipped to .235/.305/.372.

The DFA period can last up to a week. During that time, Cowles will go through waivers, a process that takes 48 hours, while the Cubs have up to five days to explore potential trade opportunities.

Although his bat has cooled over the past year, Cowles still brings value with his speed and defensive flexibility.

He typically records between 15 and 25 stolen bases per season and has experience covering second base, third base, shortstop, and even left field.

He also has minor league options remaining, meaning a team could keep him in the minors for the rest of this season and potentially another year as well.

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