Cubs LF Ian Happ wins third straight NL Rawlings Gold Glove Award
CHICAGO – Chicago Cubs left fielder Ian Happ tonight was named a 2024 National League Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner at left field. This marks Happ’s third consecutive Gold Glove Award, becoming the first Cubs outfielder to win three-straight Gold Glove awards.
Happ was tied for the lead among major league left fielders this season with 11 outfield assists and led the National League with eight defensive runs saved. His .997 fielding percentage was the second highest in the majors behind Milwaukee’s Jackson Chourio and he ranked fifth in the N.L. with 144 games played.
Since the start of 2022, Happ leads all left fielders with 31 outfield assists and ranks second in the majors with 23 defensive runs saved. He also leads all left fielders with 445 games played, 3,280.0 innings played at the position and 834 putouts while having committed the fourth-fewest errors (7) in that span.
Happ is the fourth Cubs outfielder to earn the award, joining Jason Heyward in 2016-17, Bob Dernier in 1984 and Andre Dawson in 1987-88. The previous Cubs player to win three consecutive Gold Gloves was Anthony Rizzo, who won three-straight at first base from 2018-20. Greg Maddux twice won three consecutive awards during his Cubs tenure at pitcher (2004-06 and 1990-92); Mark Grace won four-straight at first base (1992-96); and Ryne Sandberg holds the club record picking up nine-straight at second base from 1983-91.
Happ was selected by the Cubs in the first round (ninth overall) of the 2015 Draft and is the second player from the University of Cincinnati to receive the award, joining Kevin Youkilis who earned the honor for first base with Boston in 2007.