A locked-in Cubs outfield picture could tie one hand behind Jed Hoyer's back

Ian Happ was again the definition of consistency for the Cubs in left

A Gold Glove finalist for a third straight year, Ian Happ did it all for Chicago in 2024, the first season under the three-year, $61 million extension he inked back early in 2023.

He set a career-high in RBI (89), tied his personal best with 25 home runs and was right in line with what he's done at the plate since 2022 in almost every other metric. At 3.6fWAR, Happ was one of the Cubs' most valuable position players, trailing only Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner - and was very solid with runners in scoring position (.870 OPS).

For whatever reason, Happ continues to fly under the radar despite showcasing remarkable consistency on a yearly basis. He's probably not the offensive centerpiece the team needs, but if Hoyer can find a way to add another heavy hitter to the mix and let his switch-hitter do what he does out of the leadoff spot, it could lead to good things for the Cubs moving forward.