CHICAGO — Outfielder Ian Happ has signed a three-year extension with the Chicago Cubs that will keep him under contract with the team through the 2026 season, the team announced Wednesday.
The deal is worth $61 million and contains a full no-trade clause, sources tell ESPN.
Happ, 28, was set to become a free agent after the 2023 season but will remain in Chicago through at least 2026, as his new contract begins next year.
After finishing eighth in Rookie of the Year voting in 2017, Happ struggled to stay in the big leagues, seeing his strikeout percentage balloon to 36% the next season. But over time, he matured as a hitter and as an outfielder. He made his first All-Star team and won his first Gold Glove in 2022.
Happ is part of a core group of Cubs players that includes Dansby Swanson, Nico Hoerner, Jameson Taillon and Seiya Suzuki. All are signed for at least the next three seasons.
Happ is off to a fast start in 2023, boasting a .981 OPS that includes a home run, 10 walks and 11 strikeouts. He was mentioned in trade rumors last July and more than likely would have been moved this summer if the Cubs fell out of contention.
Happ’s signing comes a couple of weeks after the team locked up second baseman Nico Hoerner for three years as well. Both are homegrown players and now will remain Cubs for the foreseeable future.