Chicago Cubs: It is not quite time to give up on Ian Happ

Since Ian Happ broke onto the scene with the Chicago Cubs, he’s shown great potential. That being said, playing up to that potential hasn’t been regular.

Keep going. Persevere. Endure. These are words which would apply to Ian Happ’s first two Major League seasons in a nutshell. Just 24 years old, the Chicago Cubs utility man is supposed to be nearing the prime of his professional career. While there have been flashes of brilliance, indeed, there has been a lot more ‘what-ifs’ than necessary.

Happ splashed into the league last year, playing 113 games for the Cubs on his way to a respectable rookie season in which he slashed .253/.328/.514 with 24 home runs and 68 RBI. The former first-round pick finished the season by posting a more than solid .349 wOBA and 113 wRC+ with a 1.9 WAR. Not bad at all for the then-23-year-old rookie.

However this season, to the unfortunate chagrin of the Wrigley faithful, Happ has majorly regressed, and it has not been very pretty. As we head into the final week of the regular season, Happ is slashing just .228/.346/.409 with 15 home runs and 55 RBI. His wOBA and wRC+ are still floating above league average, but only barely at a paltry .325 and 103, respectively. Happ also has seen a drop in his overall WAR to 1.3. Needless to say, as Happ is just 24 years old, it should behoove the Cubs to see what they have in him for a little while longer.