What Is the Cubs’ Plan for Ian Happ?
With a crowded roster, what do the Cubs plan to do with Ian Happ?
Ian Happ was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the first round of the 2015 MLB draft. Drafted as an outfielder, Happ has logged more innings in the minors as a second baseman. That versatility increases Happ’s chances of fitting into the Cubs’ future plans.
The University of Cincinnati stand-out has shown that he lacks the feel to be a major league infielder. Many scouts and experts alike have agreed that Happ would be best suited to play a corner outfield position. His inability to preform well with the glove could hurt his chances at making it onto the Cubs talented roster.
Happ’s offensive game should not be a problem. In 201 minor league games since being drafted, he has hit .272 with a .362 OBP, and .452 slugging percentage. Just like Zobrist, Happ is a switch hitter, but according to his scouting report, Happ is better from the left side. He has struck out 22% of the time since being drafted two years ago, and has displayed a solid OBP. If he can keep hitting in the minors, the Cubs will be forced to find a spot for him in the majors. The question is — where will that spot come from?
With the return of Kyle Schwarber, the 2017 Chicago Cubs line-up is one of the most dangerous in Major League Baseball. The return of Schwarber is good news for the Cubs, but could be bad news for the 22-year-old Happ. The Cubs may be cautious as to how much they play him, but Schwarber should still start 100–120 games in left field in 2017. This likely means left field is closed off to Happ.
Let’s assume that the Cubs want to play Happ at second base in the majors. That would be another problem, as 2016 World Series MVP Ben Zobrist plays second base and is signed through the 2019 season. An even greater obstacle for Happ is that Javier Baez is next in line to play second base. In fact, due to Baez’s strong play last year, Zobrist will be forced to play more outfield in 2017 to get Baez into the line-up. With Schwarber back on the field, manager Joe Maddon will need to find a position other than left field to put Zobrist on the days that Baez plays second.
Zobrist played 27 games in left field and 24 games in right field last season. Maddon could play Zobrist in right more than last season due to the struggles of Jason Heyward at the plate (.230/.306/.325). With a new approach, Heyward should be able to carry his weight in 2017, and with Dexter Fowler now playing for the St. Louis Cardinals, Heyward will see more playing time in center field this season. This means we can expect to see Ben Zobrist in right field most of the days that Javier Baez is at second base.
As you have probably figured out by now, the Cubs are stacked with talent on the positional side. Left field will be Schwarber’s again in 2017, but if he needs a day off, Zobrist or Kris Bryant would fill-in for him. If it is Bryant who plays left field, Baez would play third base with Zobrist at second. If it’s Zobrist in left, Baez would play second base, where he shined throughout the 2016 postseason. Center field will be a mix of Jason Heyward, Albert Almora Jr., and Jon Jay. Almora will be in center on days that Javier Baez is out of the line-up. Heyward will be in center on days that Baez is in the line-up and Zobrist is playing right field.
So how does all this affect Ian Happ? Well, Zobrist is signed through the 2019 season. That means that the Cubs will have a hard time finding playing time for Javier Baez, let alone Ian Happ. Jason Heyward, who signed an eight-year, $184 million deal before the 2016 season, has an opt-out clause in his contract after the 2018 season. He will only exercise that clause if he bounces back and has monster seasons in 2017 and 2018.
Ian Happ will be ready for the majors by 2018. At that time, Zobrist will still be with the Cubs and Heyward will still be doing his thing in the outfield. Javier Baez will have a bigger role in the offense, and Kyle Schwarber will be plucking away in left field. In other words, all the positions that Happ has played in his baseball career will be filled with major league talent. That leaves one option for the Cubs and Ian Happ — a trade.
This is just another case of the Cubs having more position players than they do positions to put them at. We saw that last trade deadline when Chicago traded infielder Gleyber Torres to the New York Yankees for Aroldis Chapman. Chapman, of course, was an important part of the Cubs second half push into the postseason and eventual World Series title.
The Cubs need starting pitchers that they can count on to provide production beyond 2017. As the trade deadline draws nearer this summer, the Cubs will be looking to move some top prospects, like Happ, to acquire a young starter or two. A deal involving Happ could come sooner than later, but as he continues to tear up the minors, his value will continue to increase. As he gets closer to his major league debut, the asking price for Happ will sky-rocket.
Right now, the back-end of the rotation is the only problem spot for the Cubs. The Cubs have some options, including Brett Anderson and Mike Montgomery, but someone more proven in the rotation would be preferable. Trading some top prospects would address that need, so expect Ian Happ to be involved in trade rumors this summer.
Daniel Shephard is a diehard Cubs fan from North Carolina. He really is Cubs Crazy.
