by TYLER HATHAWAY
Newark native Ben Cowles has been claimed by the Toronto Blue Jays off of waivers from the Chicago Cubs, per an announcement by the team Wednesday.
Cowles joins a Blue Jays organization that houses fellow Section V alum and Brighton native, Ernie Clement, who helped Toronto reach the 2025 World Series with an MLB-postseason record 30 hits.
It’s the third organization for Cowles in the past two months, as he started 2026 within the Chicago White Sox organization before being waived and claimed by the Cubs. He was on waivers for two days before being claimed by Toronto.
Cowles was a 10th-round selection by the New York Yankees in the 2021 MLB Draft. He spent his 2025 season at the Triple-A level, finishing with a .235 batting average, nine home runs, and 18 stolen bases. He has yet to play in the majors.
A two-time Finger Lakes East Player of the Year, Cowles hit .512 with an on-base percentage of .650 for the Reds in 2018. He earned Section V Class B Player of the Year as well as Class B First-Team All-State honors.
He went on to the University of Maryland where he was a Third Team All-American selection after his junior season when he led the Big Ten with 18 home runs and ranked second in the conference with 51 RBI.
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