Chicago Cubs: Two Extension Candidates this offseason

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With Major League Baseball free agency beginning today, it's safe to say that things are going to be pretty chaotic in the Chicago Cubs front office. While Cubs fans alike anticipate the club looking to spend big and land a couple of big names available on the market, it is important to remember that there are at least two players whose contributions this past season have deemed them worthy to be locked up long term and could be looked at as just as vital of a move as a free agent signing would be. Let's first take a look at an obvious candidate in Ian Happ.

Happ had the best season of his career in 2022. He slashed a consistent .271/.342/.440 with 17 home runs and 72 RBIs. Happ earned his first all-star nod and was awarded a Gold Glove in the process. Slashing an impressive .308/.383/.467 at Wrigley Field this year, it was nice to see a huge chunk of his production come playing at home. He also improved mightily from the right side of the plate with a .305/.350/.438 slash to go along with a 123 wRC+ in 128 at-bats against southpaws.

When Happ began playing the outfield permanently, there were questions if we would be able to improve and the Gold Glove honor has silenced that doubt. One key adjustment Happ made this season was to simply hit for contact more than consistently swinging for the fences as hard as he could.

Ian Happ has solidified himself as a member of the next core for the Chicago Cubs

In 2022, his ISO, a stat to determine a player's raw power, sat at .169 and was down 40 points from the .209 he recorded in 2021. On the flip side of that, Happ's batting average was 46 points higher than last year as well. Though Happ was able to stay consistent for the entirety of 2022, his consistency really began to take off in the second half of 2021 when he slashed .268/.350/.536 over 235 ABs.

Really, it's been about a year and a half now of Happ's resurgence. Considering Happ didn't have much superstar power protecting him in the lineup, it makes me wonder how much higher his numbers can be if he consistently had a Carlos Correa or Jose Abreu batting behind him. Ian Happ is now one of the longest-tenured players on the Cubs. At age 28, there is still plenty of production in that bat and something has clearly clicked for him. It's time for the front office to finally lock up one of their all-stars.

San Francisco Giants v Chicago Cubs / Matt Dirksen/GettyImages

Player number two to deserve a contract extension after clearly proving themselves this year with the Chicago Cubs is Nico Hoerner.

Yes, the Cubs are looking to potentially land a star shortstop this winter. No, that has absolutely nothing to do with Hoerner as he can also play second base. Before we get into Hoerner's bat-to-ball skills, I think it's just as important to recognize his defense in the field. Hoerner recorded 13 outs above average, good for a second-place tie with Francisco Lindor among NL shortstops behind Dansby Swanson who won the Gold Glove this year. Safe to say, that's pretty elite company to be in conversation with.

After his first season batting over .300 in 2021, albeit in just 44 games, Hoerner recorded a line of .281/.327/.410 in 2022 in 135 contests in 2022. Where injuries have been a worry for Hoerner, he remained pretty healthy last season as his only IL stint came in May due to an ankle issue that only saw him miss a minimum of 10 days. His .281 batting average led all Cubs last season.

What I love personally are the improvements Hoerner made in his ability to hit to all fields this year. Though the shift will be banned next season, which is going to spike batting averages across the league anyway, being able to go opposite field when you need to is a key skill more players need to hone in on.

Nico Hoerner has emerged as a start in the Chicago Cubs infield.

Hoerner's 11% strikeout rate in the majors last year ranks as fifth best in the entire league. For the National League only, Hoerner ranks 2nd behind only Jeff Mcneil by less than 1% for the best mark in terms of K percentage. His 4.5 fWAR recorded on the season, though due to shorter seasons in the past (pandemic in 2020, injury in 2021), was still far and away his best mark to date.

For Hoerner, it's all about staying healthy. For the Cubs to have the luxury to move him to second base next year if they land a shortstop would be a dream come true for the front office. Having a top-notch, up-the-middle defense is one thing that helped the Cubs achieve so much success in 2016.

Jose Abreu makes financial sense for the Chicago Cubs. dark. Next

For somebody with incredible defense and elite ability to put the ball in play, Hoerner and Happ are your two players that need and deserve to be around long-term. They are two core pieces that will help the Cubs find success as they look to launch themselves back into the realm of contention.

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Ian Happ has solidified himself as a member of the next core for the Chicago Cubs

Nico Hoerner has emerged as a start in the Chicago Cubs infield.

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