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The Chicago Cubs and Toronto Blue Jays have made an exchange and back again.
Ben Cowles was claimed by the Blue Jays off waivers a couple weeks ago.
Just 11 days later, he's been claimed back by the Cubs, according to The Athletic's Mitch Bannon.
Cowles has already followed a fascinating path to this point.
He was a Yankees draft pick out of the University of Maryland, originally an upstate New York star in Newark, N.Y. before heading to the organization based in the Bronx.
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The Cubs eventually traded for him, but then they released him, and the White Sox picked him up.
But when the White Sox waived Cowles this offseason, the Cubs claimed him off waivers. They clearly wanted a do-over.
Then they waived him, too, and Toronto picked him up. But now he's back with the Cubs.
In 2024, Cowles was a .286 hitter in Double-A with an .829 OPS.
His numbers slumped in 2025 in Triple-A between Iowa and Charlotte, but he still hit nine homers and stole 18 bases.
He also has previous success hitting in the Arizona Fall League.
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Cowles can play all over the field, so the Cubs likely view him as a potential utility man.
If the Cubs have to waive him again, another team could again pounce. Cowles is just compelling enough to keep moving around like this.
He's still awaiting his MLB debut, but it seems like it could happen this year.
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