Jul 11, 2017 2 min read

Happ hits milestone

After Ian Happ tagged his 10th home run of the season, Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon commented that when the Mt. Lebanon product hits it, it goes quickly.

At the All-Star break, that’s not all the second baseman for the Cubs has done fast.

With 13 rountrippers, Happ has tied for the most homers in a player’s first 50 career games in Cubs history. In fact, Happ hit a 413-foot four-bagger for his first MLB hit when he was promoted to the big leagues May 13.

In 183 at bats this season, Happ has 47 hits, including 10 doubles and two triples, for a .257 batting average and a .546 slugging percentage and .870 OPS. He has driven in 31 and scored 27 runs. In mid-June, he hit a grand slam at Citi Field against the New York Mets.

Happ began the 2017 season with the Iowa Cubs of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League. He was selected in the first round as the ninth overall selection for the Cubs in the 2015 Major League Baseball draft.

He played college baseball at the University of Cincinnati, compiling hitting stats of .369, .492, .672 with 14 homers and 44 RBIs his junior year before being drafted. He excelled in the Cape Cod League and for Mt. Lebanon High School. In four seasons, he hit .449 with 12 home runs and 65 RBI.

The Cubs resume action in Baltimore against the Orioles July 14-16. They will host the Pirates Aug. 28-30 and visit Pittsburgh Labor Day (Sept. 4) through Sept. 7.