Cubs Prospect Profile: Ben Cowles |
Ever since the Cubs won the World Series in 2016, this franchise has been stuck in Neutral. Sure, they had some success through 2018, but after missing the playoffs in five of the last six seasons, including four straight seasons, things haven't gone well for this organization. In the process of winning the World Series and being in the position they are in now, fans have seen this team completely gut the farm system to try and stay competitive before entering full-blown rebuild mode.
That allowed them to trade off some fan favorites, such as Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, and Javy Baez, in an effort to stock up and rebuild the farm system. Whether that be through high draft picks or some in-season trades, Jed Hoyer has done a great job rebuilding the farm system to the point where it is one of the best in the game. Now comes the need to get the MLB roster at that same level, and for that to happen, the Cubs are going to have to trade more pieces from the farm. When that happens, the top-30 rankings change, as this is the most fluid part of the Cubs organization. Continuing through the Cubs top 30 list as it sits right now, we move to No. 29, as Ben Cowles takes that spot. Acquired during the trade deadline portion of the season as part of the Mark Leiter JR deal, Cowles was a top-15 prospect in the Yankees system, but checks in at No. 29 in Chicago. That goes to show how deep the Cubs overall system is, and it will be interesting to see how things go from here in terms of his development. Initially a 10th-round pick in the 2021 draft by the New York Yankees, Cowles was said to have a bright future. The former teammate of Cubs top Prospect Matt Shaw at Maryland, Cowles led the Terrapins with 18 homers in 2021, which was the main reason why the Yankees took a chance at him in round 10. Since that day, Cowles has steadily improved across both the Yankees and Cubs minor league systems, which is all you can ask for from a young player. Cowles hit .250 across 38 games in 2021, hitting four homers and driving in 25. That alone showed his potential, especially considering that it came right after the draft process. He followed that up with a .272 average in 2022 and .253 in 2023, as he combined for 17 homers and 82 RBIs in those seasons. 2024 was an interesting year for Cowles, not just because of the trade, but because of what happened. Whether it be for the Yankees AA club or the Tennessee Smokies, a lot of expectations were put on him, only to have those expectations come to a crushing halt. Sure, he still managed to hit .286 across 92 games, but he was limited to less than 10 games with the Smokies after taking a pitch off the wrist earlier in the season. Cowles would finish the season with nine homers and a career-high 51 RBIs, but given his lack of playing time with the Cubs, they elected to send him to the Arizona Fall League to get in some extra work. Although his defense was outstanding in Mesa, the offense was an issue from start to finish, and it became clear that his first season with the Cubs was going to be a complete wash. Now, focusing on 2025 and beyond, the Cubs will have to make a tough choice about handling him going forward. Unlike many prospects, where you can pick out one specific offensive trait, nothing in his offensive game stands out. Instead, he does a lot of the little things well. In other words, he is an old-school baseball player who just does what he has to do to thrive. While not the most potent bat in the system, Cowles elevates the ball well in all fields and should have no issues hitting 15-plus homers. As is the case for many young prospects, Cowles does have some swing-and-miss in his game, but he did a much better job cutting down on the strikeouts this season while also increasing his walk rate to make him more of a threat at the plate. Not a burner by any means, Cowles does hustle which often makes him look faster than he really is. Like amanyCubs young infielders, Cowles has bounced around the infield, showing his versatility, but his best position has been SS. His high baseball IQ will come in handy when it comes to the next step in his development, as 2025 will be a huge year for him.
