Cubs reliever Michael Bowden was part of the Cubs Caravan group that stopped at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark on Thursday to visit the team’s new Low-A affiliate, the Cougars. Although the Aurora product did not pitch at the park as a Midwest Leaguer, he did play there when his alma mater, Waubonsie Valley, advanced to the state baseball tournament in 2005. Drafted by the Boston Red Sox that summer, Bowden, a boyhood Cubs fan, landed in Chicago in August as part of the trade that sent Marlon Byrd to Boston. Kane County Chronicle sports reporter Kevin Druley caught up with Bowden for this week’s edition of the Weekend Chit-Chat. The following is an edited transcript:

You saw your share of Midwest League games as a kid, but never played in the league, right?

I grew up here and I grew up coming to Kane County games, but that’s the extent of it. I played a state championship game here, but Low-A was in the South Atlantic League. I’m not too familiar with the league.