The Angels have claimed RHP/IF/OF Kaleb Cowart from the Tigers, per a team release. The 26-year-old Cowart has spent his entire playing career with Los Angeles, but was claimed by both the Mariners and the Tigers earlier this offseason. Right-hander J.C. Ramirez has been placed on the 60-day DL to make room for Cowart on the 40-man roster.
The former first-rounder has worked all over the diamond in his four big-league stints with Los Angeles, appearing at 3B, 2B, SS, 1B, and LF in 2018 alone. Now, like Seattle and Detroit before it, the club has plans to try him as a two-way player.
Though Cowart’s yet to make a single mound appearance to this point in his professional career, he appeared to have a bright future there as an amateur. Per Baseball America’s pre-draft scouting report in 2010, Cowart worked in the 91-93 range with his fastball, which had “good sinking life” and was graded as a consensus plus pitch by most scouts at the time. He also featured a hard slider, which he reportedly paired with an average splitter.
At the plate, Cowart has never quite figured it out. In 380 lifetime plate appearances, the Georgia native has slashed a hideous .147/.241/.293 (47 wRC+), and recent returns haven’t been much better. 2018 was Cowart’s worst in a major-league box, and the switch-hitter also struggled to a .287/.333/.457 (just a 105 wRC+ in the high-elevation parks of the PCL) line for AAA-Salt Lake.
Cowart is out of options, so he’ll need to crack the Angels’ 25-man out of Spring or again be sent through the waiver process. A faceless pen, stocked mostly with bargain pickups and journeyman types, should help his cause.
Interesting, it sure was sounding like the tigers were really hoping he had the potential to be a two way player. I guess they got everyone’s hopes up
Hold my beer Mr Ohtani
Lol Ohtani surpassed Cowart’s entire career after his first week in the majors.
Yeeah, I was joking pal
Haha that’s funny “hold my beer I got this.”
My guess he was DFA’d when Josh Harrison’s signing was made official?
Welcome back. ( Again)
To be a two way player you should probably need to be able to hit. Maybe he should just give it a go on the mound.
It would probably help to be able to pitch too. Looks like he can’t do either considering both teams that tried him as a 2 way player has waived him before he even threw a pitch to a live batter
Expecting a guy who has been playing infield his entire professional career to suddenly make your 25 man roster as a pitcher is a tall ask. I’m sure the angels are going to try and to sneak him through waivers unless he really shows a lot this spring. I’m just saying maybe it’s time to give up the hitting and go for pitching solely considering he’s spent 7 years trying to make it as a hitter.
I think what Angels are looking for is for him to play defense late in the game when he is not pitching. He has a great glove and arm.
Is Halo Honk still a thing? Serious question.
More so than Al Conin
Halo Honk is still a thing. Roger Lodge still gives tickets out to games. He also joins the fans in the section during the game haha.
I really dislike Roger Lodge. Single reason I stop listening to the Angels radio station.
Yeah.. his schtick does start to wear thin. He prides himself for knowing random stats but I for one would rather hear him have a a personal take.
No way he’s on the 25-man. Hope he sticks in the org and is a usable defensive replacement/RP
What was Rick Ankiel not available
I believe Ankiel is making a comeback as a pitcher again with St. Louis.
Yeah, I have a right arm and can fog a mirror. I can pitch for the Angels right now.
I wonder what a two way star like Babe Ruth would sign for today? Probably 40- 60 million?
Well, what is Ohtani making? Of course, his wasn’t exactly a “free market” signing
People need to stop saying that. Ohtani is NOT Babe Ruth. He has a very interesting gimmick for the modern game, but he is nowhere near the hitter that Babe Ruth was. Ohtani is a good hitter in comparison to his peers, but Ruth was head and shoulders above every other hitter in the game. As far as pitching goes, well Ohtani has pitched 35 big league innings. Enough said there
Nobody’s saying Ohtani IS Babe Ruth just that hes Ruth-esque in his two way abilities. They will be forever linked because they are the only two to have success as a batter and pitcher in the same season. The comparison is just, get use to it
Try turning him into a pitcher.
Why? No seriously why? He can’t hit. Hopefully, this means that he will be a reliever. And they DFA Noe Ramirez.
Next signing will be named Coyart
Cowart is a plus defender at 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and LF. He can also play SS. He doesn’t have to hit all that much. As a pitcher all he really has to do is eat up innings when the Angels are winning or losing by a pretty large amount.
I have no issue with making the team as the last man on the staff and then going in when another player has to be pinch hit for.
With Ohtani as a DH only and two other players who can only play first he has a variety of uses on this team.
Cowart will be sent to AAA or AA to try being a two way player. He has zero chance at the 25 man roster. Actually, I predict he will be released again before the end of spring.
I agree with everything but zero chance. I think there is a slight chance.
Cowart vs Ward vs Cozart vs Fletcher, just exciting stuff, does not get any better than this. The guy is 26 and can’t hit for pete sakes. Salt Lake aCity or retire is what is next, thanx for the memories Caleb.
It’s Ward vs Fletcher. One will start in the minor leagues. I’m rooting for Ward because he has a higher upside. Cozart will be the starting second baseman or third basemen.
Cowart will be competing for the last pitcher on the staff. Since the Angels only have 1 extra infielder and one extra out fielder, if he pitches well this spring. HUGE IF… He has a chance to be the 13th pitcher.
Since teams carry 13 pitchers now, baseball really needs a 26 man roster. Thirty plus years ago, baseball briefly carried a 24 man roster. When I started following baseball, there were then man pitching staffs. Things have changed.