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Ian Happ 2024 Fantasy Baseball Outlook: Increased Value In On-Base And Points Leagues Despite Underwhelming Power Metrics
11 months agoThe switch-hitting Chicago Cubs left fielder Ian Happ is coming off his second straight season of capturing a Gold Glove. He can be counted on for fantasy managers to be in the lineup daily. In the batter's box, Happ is known for his elite on-base skills, which continued in 2023 as he registered an excellent .360 OBP compared to .342 the year prior. He also saw a slight increase in power in 2023 as he launched 21 home runs, a slight increase of four compared to 2022. However, this number could go back down as he had a below-league average 39.0% hard-hit rate and placed in the 55th percentile with a 9.0 barrel%. The University of Cincinnati product excelled against right-handed pitchers as a switch-hitter but struggled substantially against southpaws in 2023. Happ tallied a .450 SLG and .380 OBP against right-handers while only putting up a .385 SLG and disappointing .309 OBP versus lefties. Despite these splits and a potential drop in power, Happ is a sure bet to be at the top of outfielders from an OBP perspective. He is a lock to play nearly every day and is worth considering at his current NFBC ADP of 154. ATC projects the left fielder to continue to have a robust .347 OBP in 2024.
