UC rarity: Baseball player Happ may be first-rounder

Ian Happ appears virtually certain to earn a distinction no University of Cincinnati baseball player has ever achieved, including UC greats Josh Harrison and Kevin Youkilis.

Bearcats junior outfielder Happ is widely rated as a first-round selection for the 2015 Major League Baseball first-year player draft, June 8-10.

UC has not had a first-round draftee in the primary June phase since the MLB draft began in 1965, according to the Bearcats' media guide. That includes future MLB All-Star infielders Harrison (Round 6 in 2008) and Youkilis (Round 8 in 2001) and former MLB outfielder Tony Campana (Round 13 in 2008).

Happ is projected as a first-round choice by numerous outlets, including the No. 6 overall selection by ESPN, No. 15 by MLB.com and No. 17 by Baseball America.

Happ said he has heard such speculation but pays little attention.

"It's something I stay away from, because it can't help me," Happ said this past week. "I just focus on coming out and having fun with my teammates and trying to get wins."

UC coach Ty Neal said every MLB team has seen Happ multiple times, with more than 20 scouts attending early-season games. The number is now between eight to 10 scouts per game, as most know by now what Happ can do.

"In major league scouting they talk about a 20-80 (rating) scale, with 50 being major league average," Neal said. "I would say he's at least average in all of those."

ESPN analyst Keith Law projects Happ as at least a 50 in the key categories: Hitting (65), power (55), running speed (55), fielding range (50) and arm strength (50).

Scouts consider 50 as major league average, 55 as one grade above average, 60 as All-Star caliber, 70 as a perennial All-Star and 80 as Hall of Fame territory. Happ thus projects as an All-Star caliber hitter.

The sturdily built 6-foot, 205-pound Happ has several things working for him, including:

- He is a switch-hitter. Entering this weekend, his 2015 slash line was a gaudy .377/.500/.688 (batting average/on-base/slugging). In 40 games, Happ has 11 homers and 30 RBI.

Happ leads the American Athletic Conference in batting average and on-base percentage, and he leads UC in nine offensive categories.

- He was an All-Star each of the past two years in the Cape Cod Baseball League, the premier summer circuit - where wood bats are used instead of the collegiate metal.

"Happ has played the whole season despite having hernia surgery right before it began, and he probably won't show scouts the full range of his abilities all spring," Law wrote in a recent ESPN Insider piece. "But he is hitting for average, getting on base and hitting for power. Happ also raked on the Cape."

Baseball America editor John Manuel said the Cape is where most agree Happ set himself apart.

"He's been at his best in the Cape, and that's the best hitters against the best pitchers in the country," Manuel said. "There aren't many college hitters like him with a track record of hitting and hitting for power."

RARE FIND FOR UC

At UC, Happ hit .322 as both a freshman and sophomore. He had six homers as a freshman and five as a sophomore, but already has 11 homers this year as UC enters the final weeks of the season. Not to mention, Happ has a perfect 1.000 fielding average primarily as a right fielder.

His steals have dropped from 25 as a freshman to 19 as a sophomore to five this year, but part of that is that Happ has not run as much. Yet, his slugging percentage is more than 150 points above his previous UC best.

Happ usually bats third and plays right field for UC but he has played some infield in the past, notably second base. Many scouts project him as a corner outfielder.

The Pittsburgh native is a rare talent for UC, a Midwestern, cold-weather program that often struggles to recruit against the elite warm-weather teams. Happ says other schools he considered included Wright State, Kent State, Penn State and Ohio State. Happ said he was attracted by the UC baseball stadium, coaching staff and academic business program.

"What really brought me here was this amazing facility we have," Happ said, sitting in UC's Marge Schott Stadium. "The ballpark is beautiful, and I had a great relationship with the former coaching staff."

Happ came in under former UC coach Brian Cleary, who was replaced by Neal last year.

The 2015 Bearcats again are no juggernaut, entering this weekend with a 13-27 record. But if you can play they will find you, and many bigwigs have checked out Happ.

BIG NAMES WATCHING

Neal said those he has seen at UC games include Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane and former MLB slugger Fred McGriff, now an Atlanta Braves special assistant. Chicago White Sox director of scouting Doug Laumann has been a frequent visitor, among many others.

"The big dogs have all been in," Neal said. "Ian is always prepared, he goes about his business the right way, and he makes good decisions off the field. He allows his body to recover and treats it well. Most important, he's performed on the field a high level."

UC never has had a player taken in the top two rounds of the primary June draft but has had some third-rounders - most recently pitcher David Sala in 1986 (St. Louis). Sala pitched four years in the minors.

Happ knows the scouts and their stopwatches are watching, but said he tries not to look into the stands. A finance major with a 3.68 grade point average, Happ is a serious sort who carries himself with a professional, businesslike demeanor.

"For me, it's a learning process of trying to have quality at-bats even when the team is failing," Happ said. "No matter if you're up 10 or down 10 you still have to go into the box with the same approach, because you can't control every aspect of the game. That's baseball."

THE DREAM

Happ grew up in Pittsburgh and attended many Pirates games at PNC Park. Happ's career began early, with his father Keith throwing batting practice almost daily in the cages from the time Ian was 8 years old.

Happ also followed the footsteps of older brother Chris, who played at Duquesne University from 2006-10.

"I just want to be the best baseball player I can possibly be," Happ said. "I'm not going to make any outlandish goal statements. I want to go out and play as hard as I can and get to the next level."

Like many athletically inclined youngsters, Happ began thinking early of a career in professional ball.

"That has always been the dream," Happ said. "It's been a process, one step at a time."

Most never make it, but the best rise above the rest with a combination of physical gifts, hard work and mental toughness. With Happ, all those boxes are checked.

"My expectation has always been to work hard enough to be in this position," Happ said. "I think you have to have that confidence. I think I always knew I was capable of it."

Ian Happ file

School: University of Cincinnati

Class: Junior

Born: Aug. 12, 1994 (age 20)

Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pa. (Mt. Lebanon HS)

Height: 6-0 Weight: 205

Position: OF/INF

Bats: Both

Throws: Right

2015 honors: Preseason first team All-America by numerous outlets, including Baseball America, Perfect Game, D1Baseball.com and College Sports Madness … Golden Spikes Award 60-man midseason Watch List … D1Baseball.com Midseason All-America.