Chicago Cubs News: Top player of the 2020 COVID-season

Who was the best of the Chicago Cubs position players of the short 2020 season?

Over the season, we’ve seen some of the Chicago Cubs invest their time into their game a vastly improve their performance. Others have been diving all over the field and hitting like crazy since the season began.

Remember Cubs right fielder Jason Heyward struggling at the plate only to surface with a .414 OBP! Many players have turned it around this season, which accounts for how well the Cubs have done this season. Heyward is undoubtedly one of those players and deserves an honorable mention in 2020’s best Cub of the year.

Heyward goes into the last series of the season against the Chicago White Sox, with the team-best .287 BA. He also reeled in six home runs and 22 RBI from 39 hits and leads the team in triples with two and rounded first base six times in doubles.

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Without a doubt, Heyward has truly broken free this COVID-season and turned things around from early on in the season.

The 2020 player of the season by far is Chicago Cubs centerfielder, Ian Happ.

Happ has been an animal all season long in no matter what role he’s been called upon to fill. Do you remember how the season lineup started with Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant leading off and Anthony Rizzo following the number two spot? I called them the Daily Double at the time, but manager David Ross was calling it “Not working,” as Cubs centerfielder Ian Happ emerged as an All-Star candidate with his fantastic play and took the leadoff role in many games for the Cubs.

Happ’s numbers are nothing to sneeze at either.  Happ leads the team with 12 home runs and 28 RBI with. Happ’s careful eye in the leadoff position is also why he leads the team in walks with 30. Happ sports the second-best batting average after Heyward with .257. His knack or ease of getting on base is represented with the second-best OBP, again, after Heyward with .360. Just to put a little exclamation point on those stats, Happ’s SLG is another best for the Cubs at .513.

After Rizzo and shortstop Baez, Happ has played the most innings at 437 1/3 innings, which show he has been a reliable piece for the defense in 2020.

If you ask me, my favorite contribution of Happ is his acrobatic play in centerfield. Not a fly ball can get by the watchful eye of Happ, who earned the coveted leadership role of centerfielder and, in a sense, sent outfielder Albert Almora Jr. packing for Triple-A. Happ did this by being a force on offense and running all over the outfield making plays. Ross had no choice but to put the rising star in the position full time.

They will need Happ and Heyward on offense moving forward, especially after damaging blowouts versus the Pittsburgh Pirates this week. They will try to rebound in another crosstown-classic versus another team on a losing streak – the Chicago White Sox.

No matter the outcome of this weekend’s contests, Happ has earned his title as the top Chicago Cub player of 2020.