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Earlier today, the Chicago Cubs designated pitcher Michael Bowden for assignment, the club announced.
Cubs select the contract of RHP Chang-Yong Lim from @IowaCubs, To make room on the 40-man, RHP Michael Bowden was designated for assignment.
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) September 4, 2013
The 26 year old Bowden, a former first round pick of the Boston Red Sox, has split the 2013 season between the Cubs and their Triple-A affiliate in Des Moines, Iowa. The Cubs originally designated Bowden for assignment on May 21st, but a 2.41 ERA in 18.2 Triple-A innings was enough to convince the team to recall him on July 11th. Overall, he has put up a 4.30 ERA in 37.2 innings for Chicago this season.
A former three time top 100 prospect according to Baseball America, Bowden was acquired by the Cubs (along with Hunter Cervenka) in an April, 2012 trade that sent outfielder Marlon Byrd to the Red Sox. Prior to the trade, Bowden had spent the previous seven seasons bouncing around Boston's organization.
To replace Bowden, the Cubs have called up longtime Korean pitcher Chang-Yong Lim. Lim, who is 37, is in his first year of professional baseball in the United States. He spent the first 12 years of his career pitching in South Korea for the Haitai Tigers and Samsung Lions of the Korean Baseball Organization. He has a 1.61 ERA in just over 22 innings of work in the Cubs' minor league system this year. 11 of those innings have come at the Triple-A level where he has allowed just one run in 11 appearances.
