Chicago Cubs: Ian Happ provides immediate spark in debut

The Chicago Cubs may have lost yesterday’s divisional matchup, but top prospect Ian Happ made a definite impression in his major league debut.

With all of the young talent already on the Chicago Cubs roster, it’s easy to forget there are still highly regarded prospects in their farm system waiting for a call-up. Yesterday we saw one of those minor leaguers get his first taste of big league action, as the Cubs promoted Ian Happ and started him in right field.

The 22-year-old, who is currently ranked as the Cubs’ #2 prospect by MLB Pipeline, made an instant impact for his club. Happ went 1-for-3 with a two-run homer in the seventh inning. He walked and struck out once. Though Chicago fell to the rival St. Louis Cardinals by a score of 5-3 at Busch Stadium, it was a promising major league debut for young Mr. Happ.

If there was a critique to the performance, it came in the fifth inning, when Happ made what was ruled an illegal slide into second base, resulting in an inning-ending double play.

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Happ’s arrival didn’t come out of nowhere. The Cubs selected him ninth overall in the first round of the 2015 draft out of the University of Cincinnati. The former Bearcats star worked his way up the organizational ladder quickly. Between the Low-A and Class A levels in 2015, he slashed .259/.356/.466 with nine home runs and 33 RBI in 67 games.

In 2016, Happ hit .279/.365/.445 with 15 long balls and 73 RBI in 134 contests between High-A and Double-A. He was off to a torrid start this season at Triple-A, with a .298/.362/.615 slash line, nine homers and 25 RBI in 26 games before receiving his call-up.

Cubs manager Joe Maddon was impressed with the rookie’s composure and professionalism in his first MLB game. According to MLB.com’s Carrie Muskat:

"“He was never overwhelmed being here today,” manager Joe Maddon said of Happ, the Cubs’ No. 1 pick in 2015 who started in right field and batted second. “He walked in, put his uniform on, went out there and kicked the bench and shook hands and hit a homer.”"

Those are certainly positive signs to see from a 22-year-old getting just his bearings in a big league clubhouse. That clubhouse contains some of baseball’s biggest stars and most accomplished names, fresh off a World Series win, making Happ’s ability to seize the moment all the more remarkable. He discussed his desire to make a good first impression, also per MLB.com:

"“You just have to take it in and enjoy it,” he said before the game. “It’s one of those situations where I might wake up tomorrow and not remember what happened. You just have to slow everything down and enjoy it and be in the moment.“I felt good about what I did in spring, and being there, being a sponge, picking everybody’s brains . . . I was excited to go to Iowa and compete there, and [am] fortunate to end up here.”"

Happ is not expected to remain with the Cubs for a long-term stay, however. As Muskat reported, he is intended as a temporary reinforcement for an ailing Addison Russell, Kris Bryant and Jon Jay. Happ has spent time at second base and in the outfield in the minors, giving Chicago some flexibility in terms of how they can fit him into the lineup.

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Nevertheless, if Happ continues to produce for as long as he’s up with the big club, he’ll give the Cubs something to think about as the season progresses. The defending champs have underwhelmed in the campaign’s first month and a half; perhaps they could use an infusion of new energy. The best thing Happ can do right now is reflect his readiness for the major league level, and he got off to a nice start in that regard on Saturday.

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