Chicago White Sox Claim Infielder Off Waivers From Cubs

Ben Cowles has been optioned to Triple-A Charlotte after being claimed off waivers.

Iowa Cubs' Ben Cowles (8) fields a ground ball at Principal Park in Des Moines. | Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

CHICAGO –– The White Sox utilized the waiver wire to add some infield depth ahead on Wednesday, as they claimed Ben Cowles off waivers from the Chicago Cubs.

Cowles, 25, has been optioned to Triple-A Charlotte. The 6-foot-1 infielder was also added to the White Sox 40-man roster, which increased to 39 players with this move.

The Cubs designated Cowles for assignment on Sept. 1 after he spent the entire 2025 season with the Triple-A Iowa Cubs. With 462 plate appearances this season, the right-handed hitter slashed .238/.304/.382/.686 with nine home runs, 28 doubles, 44 RBIs, 16 stolen bases, 33 walks and 132 strikeouts.

Across five seasons in the Minor Leagues as part of the Cubs and New York Yankees organizations, Cowles played 218 games at shortstop, 136 at second base, 94 at third base and one in left field. The Cubs acquired Cowles and right-handed pitcher Jack Neely at the 2024 trade deadline from the Yankees in exchange for relief pitcher Mark Leiter Jr.

Cowles was ranked No. 22 among Cubs prospects going into the 2025 season. The Yankees selected him in the 10th round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of the University of Maryland. He has not yet made his Major League debut.

The current crop of infielders on the White Sox 28-man active roster includes Colson Montgomery, Chase Meidroth, Curtis Mead, Bryan Ramos, Lenyn Sosa and Tim Elko. Corner infielder Miguel Vargas has been a mainstay in the lineup all season, too, but he's on the 10-day injured list with a left hand sprain.

The White Sox claiming Cowles from the Cubs represents the second move in the last week involving Chicago's two MLB teams. On Sunday, the Cubs claimed right-hander Aaron Civale off waivers, and he pitched three scoreless innings in his team debut during Monday's 7-6 win.

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