The Toronto Blue Jays kicked off spring training facing a number of significant injuries among both their position players and starting pitchers.
Due to these injuries, the Blue Jays are expected to place several players on the injured list and are actively making roster adjustments to fill those gaps.
This Wednesday, Toronto picked up infielder Ben Cowles off waivers from the Chicago Cubs while placing right-handed pitcher Bowden Francis on the 60-day injured list. Francis will be sidelined for the entire season following UCL surgery.
Cowles was drafted in the 10th round of the 2021 MLB Draft by the New York Yankees out of Maryland.
The 26-year-old infielder spent three seasons with the Yankees before being traded along with right-handed pitcher Jack Neely to the Chicago Cubs on July 30, 2024, for right-handed pitcher Mark Leiter Jr. Unfortunately, his time with Chicago was hampered by a broken wrist he suffered just days before being traded after getting hit by a pitch.
As he entered the 2025 season, Cowles was recognized as one of the top 15 prospects within the Cubs organization according to Baseball America.
This is what Baseball America had to say about Cowles heading into 2025:
Cowles is seen as a utility infielder who showed some power potential in 2024 while demonstrating an ability to consistently make contact. He possesses average bat-to-ball skills and above-average decision-making at the plate. When he’s swinging well, Cowles creates great hip-shoulder separation and drives balls effectively up the middle or towards his pull side. However, when he’s not at his best, like after his trade, his posture tends to slump and he pops up pitches that he usually can hit hard.
<p: Cowles was designated for assignment by Chicago and then claimed off waivers by the Chicago White Sox on Sept. 3.
The Cubs reacquired Cowles when they claimed him back off waivers on Jan. 15 from the White Sox after Chicago designated him for assignment on Jan. 8.
On Feb. 15, Cowles found himself DFA’d once again by Chicago.
Throughout all of 2025, Cowles played at Triple-A for each respective franchise in Chicago. He recorded a slash line of.235/.300/.371 with a.671 OPS over 128 games where he achieved 30 doubles, four triples and nine home runs along with driving in 49 RBIs and stealing bases successfully in18 out of 26 attempts.
<p: For his minor league career overall, Cowles has put together a slash line of.258/.346/.409 with a.755 OPS.</p:
Cowles will probably serve mainly as depth infield support moving forward. His defensive flexibility is similar to that of former infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa (who signed a one-year deal with Boston Red Sox this offseason).</
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Cowles has experience playing second base, shortstop, third base and left field during his minor league journey so far. He has logged time across multiple positions including approximately790.2 innings at third base ,1 ,181.2 innings at second base , and1 ,858innings at shortstop.
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