Midway through Mark Leiter Jr.'s search for a low point last September, it seemed like the Chicago Cubs had bested the New York Yankees in another trade, no matter the outcome on their side. The Hayden Wesneski-Scott Effross deal was already residing on Infamy Boulevard at that point (Wesneski was eventually flipped for Kyle Tucker), and both infielder Ben Cowles and reliever Jack Neely seemed like potentially useful pieces for the Cubbies.
Cowles opened 2025 as the Cubs' 22nd-ranked prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and the team's plans included penciling him in to an eventual utility role.