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Tigers Claim Kaleb Cowart

By Steve Adams | January 24, 2019 at 2:06pm CDT

The Tigers announced this afternoon that they’ve claimed infielder Kaleb Cowart off waivers from the Mariners, which now gives them a full 40-man roster. Cowart was designated for assignment earlier in the week.

The Mariners had planned to utilize Cowart in a hybrid infield/reliever role, and while the Detroit organization didn’t immediately reveal plans to do so, Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press tweets that Cowart will report to Spring Training as a two-way player.

Cowart, 26, was a first-round pick of the Angels back in 2010 but has not yet developed into a reliable big leaguer (hence the experimentation in using him as an infielder/pitcher). In parts of four big league seasons — all with the Halos — Cowart has appeared in exactly 162 games but managed a paltry .177/.241/.293 slash in 380 plate appearances. The right-handed-hitting Cowart has played all over the diamond but has seen the majority of his action at third base (6341 professional innings) and second base (915 innings). He’s a career .289/.361/.469 hitter in just over 1400 Triple-A plate appearances.

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Detroit Tigers Seattle Mariners Transactions Kaleb Cowart

Minor MLB Transactions: 1/24/19
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22 Comments

  1. Miguel Jr

    7 years ago

    Lots of potential with Kaleb.

    1
    Reply
    • Long Duc Dong

      7 years ago

      Seriously he’s a high potential guy who never met expectations and will never become the player he projected to be when he was drafted. Angels stuck with him and wanted him to succeed but never did. They gave him the chance to be the everyday third baseman and he failed. That’s why the Mariners are willing to make them a pitcher. He’s the 40 man on the 40 man roster he’ll be lucky to ever play in Detroit

      2
      Reply
      • qazer

        7 years ago

        That’s more than a little overblown. He’s never been a starter for more than two or three weeks at a time, so it wasn’t like the Angels handed him a regular job and he flopped. No, he hasn’t put up good numbers when he has played, but he’s also had an unsustainably low babip. Given his peripherals, it seems like a .240/.300/.350 line would be entirely possible.

        That’s not great for a regular, but add in the he’s a plus runner, a plus defender, and a switch hitter, and you’re looking at a very useful bench piece, even without considering the possibility ask him also giving you two or three innings a week as a mopup reliever.

        Reply
        • Long Duc Dong

          7 years ago

          So you are saying the leagues pithing is so diluted teams are willing to sign position players to pitch? Don’t think so, long shot my brother

          Reply
        • Cam

          7 years ago

          Teams are valuing roster space more than ever. The possibility of someone being even remotely successful as a two way player, has huge interest.

          1
          Reply
        • qazer

          7 years ago

          Uh, no. I said exactly the opposite.

          Reply
  2. Cuso

    7 years ago

    Cowart’s a’scared

    1
    Reply
  3. JTW

    7 years ago

    Switch hitter

    Reply
    • Melchez

      7 years ago

      ” The right-handed-hitting Cowart ”
      The guy was a switch hitter… did he change?

      I think the Tigers could use him as a backup for 3B and 2B. He was great at AAA and he’s still pretty young. He might figure it out.

      Reply
  4. Miguel Jr

    7 years ago

    I wonder if they will utilize him as originally planned by Mariners (infielder/reliever).

    1
    Reply
  5. bucketbrew35

    7 years ago

    Seems like your typical Quad-A player.

    5
    Reply
    • firstbleed

      7 years ago

      Maybe they see some JD Martinez in him?

      Reply
      • Long Duc Dong

        7 years ago

        Lol

        Reply
  6. ScottRC

    7 years ago

    2021 can’t come soon enough

    Reply
  7. Luke Strong

    7 years ago

    This seems like a totally reasonable move for the Tigers, Cowart showed he can hit throughout the minors, and his .361 OBP shows he is patient… IMO, this is the most important aspect of being a successful hitter. At 26, with some major league experience, perhaps he can take his hitting to the next level.

    1
    Reply
  8. macstruts

    7 years ago

    If you are going to use him as a utility infielder/outfielder and the 13th man on the staff, he can be immensely valuable.

    1
    Reply
  9. Batman69

    7 years ago

    Kaleb Cowart is becoming Pat Venditte. Using experiments to fill minor league stadium seats

    Reply
  10. weaselpuppy

    7 years ago

    They kept a A+ level guy on the 25 man all year last yr for Rule 5…this should be a real upgrade.

    Reply
  11. timewalk42

    7 years ago

    Minor league depth is gonna be in his future

    1
    Reply
  12. tigersfan1320

    7 years ago

    Could be the next niko goodrum. Signed as just a utility player and end up being a solid hitter and playing everyday practically

    Reply
  13. Disco Dave

    7 years ago

    love it!

    Reply
  14. GrandpaBaseball

    7 years ago

    I wish Cowart nothing but the best, and the best he always put forth for the Angels. Maybe in Detroit will hit like he was projected to.

    Reply

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