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Ian Happ 2022 Player Outlook: Value Pick Who Could Join The 25/10 Club
3 years agoChicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ started slowly in 2021, slashing .180/.294/.326 from April-July, including a trip to the injured list in May due to a left rib contusion. He turned it up a notch once the calendar flipped to August, slashing .288/.363/.581 with 15 home runs, 40 RBI, and eight stolen bases over his last 55 games. It was a tale of two halves for the Cubs outfielder, but his season stats overall are in line with his previous years. The 27-year-old is a streaky hitter and will need to reduce his 30.8 career K% (ninth percentile) to have that breakout season finally. He has the upside to swipe 10-15 bags as his 27.7 sprint speed ranked in the 67th percentile. ATC/Cutter comes close to this estimate and predicts Happ will steal eight bases in 2022. Overall, ATC projects Happ to slash .241/.337/.456 with 25 home runs, 70 RBI, 68 runs scored. According to Rotoballer's Expected Draft Values, ATC/Cutter's projections make him above fair value at his ADP of 245. If Happ can build on last season's second-half success, he could join the 25/10 club for the first time in his career and become a tremendous value pick in the mid-late rounds of 2022 fantasy drafts.
