Chicago Cubs: Will Ian Happ make Javier Baez more expendable?

When Ian Happ made his big-league debut back in May, many Chicago Cubs fans thought his stint would be short-lived – myself included. But his presence in the lineup has been impressive, raising questions about the role of Javier Baez.

It’s no secret the Chicago Cubs are deep at virtually every position. That’s why the team has been able to trade away top prospects for major league talent in the past two seasons. But depth doesn’t come without its own challenges.

Everyone remembers the Tommy LaStella fiasco last season where the second baseman needed time away from the game to decide whether or not to report to Iowa. Now, it seems a new challenge is brewing for the Cubbies. Namely, whether or not keeping both Happ and Baez is beneficial to the team’s long term plans.

Offensive comparison

Happ received no shortage of praise while in the Cubs’ farm system. Many scouts praised his ability to adjust to in-game situations and his contact numbers. The 23-year-old slugger has already garnered respect for his power as well. Scouts say that by his age-26 season, Happ should be a 30-home run candidate.

So far this year, Happ is slashing .258/.540/.870 with 13 home runs and 31 RBI in 52 games. His .285 ISO leads the Cubs and his .315 BABIP is slightly below the league average at .329. Even so, Happ’s 30 percent strikeout rate is reminiscent of Baez’s first years in the league. Major league pitching is tough for any player to adjust to. However, Happ seems to have all the necessary tools to make the transition smoothly.

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Baez is slashing .246/.443/.733 this season, with 10 home runs and 33 RBI. His .191 ISO is a major league career-high for him, though his strikeout rate is still too high. Baez’s 4.9 percent walk rate is too low for what the Cubs want. As a bottom-third of the order batter, he needs to learn to coax more walks and hit for contact rather than power. Baez’s swing, on the other hand, is one made for the long ball.

Defensive comparison

Both Happ and Baez have made their shares of stellar plays in 2017. A quick search on Youtube will pull up numerous examples from each.

That being said, Baez has the “it” factor on defense, which Happ doesn’t. Scouts rated Baez’s glove skills as being average, though his “fun to watch” rating is nearly immeasurable.

Happ’s defensive prowess comes primarily from his open-mindedness about playing multiple positions. It’s rare that a natural second baseman has the ability to play the outfield well, but Happ seems to have no qualms about playing either position. Having a player like Ben Zobrist in the clubhouse certainly has helped Happ make those transitions.

The separating factor between Happ and Baez is arm strength. Baez’s arm strength far exceeds that of Happ. Scouts rated Happ’s arm in the 35-40 range, with a ceiling of about 45. Baez won the Best Infield Arm Award in the Pacific Coast League in 2014 and has shown no signs of regressing.

It won’t be long before Baez earns his first Gold Glove either. The young infielder was fourth in the league last season with a 2.0 Defensive WAR. As long as he cuts down on the errors, Baez will surely win many defensive honors in his career.

Next: Ignore the Cubs bullpen, the offense looks better

On one hand, both are capable of completely taking over a game both offensively and defensively. However, when it comes to renegotiate contracts, Chicago’s front office will be forced to choose between the two. Unless, of course, another World Series victory happens to increase the Cubs spending power.

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