Ivy League Cubs

By: Jake Russell

The Cubs gave Ian Happ a 3-year contract extension worth 61 million dollars, which began in 2024 and runs through 2026. In the first year of his contract, Ian Happ was precisely what the Cubs expected out of him, producing 3.6 fWAR and 3.9 bWAR. That was good for the 5th best mark in baseball among players who spent 50% of their time or more in left field.

Based on $/WAR, Happ was worth ~28.8 million dollars according to Fangraphs–nearly 8 million dollars in surplus value for the Cubs, which is no doubt a very good thing for the team. Additionally, Happ’s numbers largely stayed in line with his numbers from 2022-23 which led to the Cubs giving him the contract in the first place. In 2022-23, Happ hit for a 121 wRC+, and averaged 3.55 fWAR (okay, we’ll round up to 3.6). In 2024, Happ had a 122 wRC+ and a 3.6 fWAR, and he tied a career-high in home runs at 25. It was, by all measures, a typical Ian Happ season–which is by all means a good thing.

Happ also began to hit leadoff in 2024, which was a fantastic decision by new Cubs manager Craig Counsell. He had a .340 OBP and 115 wRC+ from the leadoff spot in 306 PA’s. He did move off the leadoff position for a short while as he slumped a bit during the beginning of the season, but returned there towards the end and continued his fantastic 2024 campaign.

Speaking of his slump, Happ was sitting at a quite rough 85 wRC+ as of May 21st. There were plenty of overreactions from Cubs fans, asking for things like Fake IL Stints, benchings, etc., but none of that ever happened. From that point onto the All-Star Break, Happ had a .999 OPS, good for a 174 wRC+.

It goes to show that, sometimes, good players slump! It’s a long season, and Ian Happ is a perfect example of that. Credit to him for battling through early season struggles and finishing with another amazing season where he had nearly a 140 wRC+ from May 22nd to the end of the season.

Happ also won his third consecutive Gold Glove Award in 2024. Over the past three seasons, he has 23 Defensive Runs Saved, although that is contrasted by his mark of -7 Outs Above Average according to Statcast over the same span. Nevertheless, there is not too much competition for the Gold Glove Award in Left Field these days, and Happ at least had arguments to win each of the awards which he wound up winning.

Player Grade: B+

It’s easy to dismiss Ian Happ’s 2024 as just another solid season, but Happ overproduced his contract, and settled into the leadoff spot nicely–something the Cubs kind of needed. He represents the definition of year-to-year consistency for the Cubs, constantly falling right around a 120 wRC+ and 3.5 fWAR, two incredibly valuable figures. It’s very comforting to know you have that kind of floor on your team year in and year out, and I’m glad I get to keep rooting for Ian Happ–who clearly loves playing here as well–for at least another two seasons.

Picture Credit: Matt Kartozian, USA Today Sports