Chicago Cubs Gold Glove Outfielder Ian Happ to Appear at Four Winds Field July 1
STORY UPDATED JUNE 23, 2024 SOUTH BEND, IN – The South Bend Cubs will be kicking off their 4th of July celebrations a couple days early as Chicago Cubs Gold Glove outfielder Ian Happ will make a special guest appearance at Four Winds Field on July 1. Gates open at
STORY UPDATED JUNE 23, 2024
SOUTH BEND, IN – The South Bend Cubs will be kicking off their 4th of July celebrations a couple days early as Chicago Cubs Gold Glove outfielder Ian Happ will make a special guest appearance at Four Winds Field on July 1. Gates open at 6:00 p.m. and first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. VIP Meet and Greet tickets are sold out but you can still purchase individual tickets for the game. Happ will throw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the game and will sign autographs on the concourse for one hour only.
CLICK HERE FOR INDIVIDUAL GAME TICKETS
With the Chicago Cubs having a scheduled off day on Monday, July 1 after a series in Milwaukee, followed by a series against the Philadelphia Phillies at Wrigley Field beginning July 2, Happ’s appearance is subject to change due to the Chicago Cubs baseball schedule.
“I'm excited to come back to Four Winds Field and see the amazing fans in South Bend," said Ian Happ. “We're lucky to have amazing affiliates in the Cubs organization and I loved every second of being a South Bend Cub!"
“We are incredibly honored that Ian Happ would take the time out of his busy schedule to come back to Four Winds Field where his professional baseball career started,” said South Bend Cubs Team President Joe Hart. “It speaks to the character of Ian that in the middle of the MLB season, he would come back to South Bend for a special appearance for charity. I encourage the fans to pack Four Winds Field and give him a warm welcome back.”
Originally selected with the ninth-overall pick in the 2015 MLB Draft out of the University of Cincinnati, Ian Happ's path to the Chicago Cubs almost immediately began in South Bend. Following a quick stint in short-season Eugene, Happ was assigned to South Bend to conclude the summer of 2015. While playing as a member of South Bend's inaugural Cubs season, Happ crushed five home runs and drove in 22. He quickly elevated up the farm system, making his Major League debut on May 13, 2017 and mashing 24 home runs his rookie season. In seven seasons with Chicago, Happ has hammered 125 round trippers, to go along with 392 RBI. The 29-year-old also started his 2018 season with a bang, when he took the first pitch thrown in the MLB that year out of the yard in Miami for a lead-off home run. He was voted a National League All-Star in 2022, and has won back-to-back Rawlings NL Gold Glove Awards in 2022 and 2023.
Off the field, Happ is known for his generous contributions to the Chicago community and beyond. In 2018-19, Happ began the "Through My Eyes" project, where he commissioned art prints of Wrigley Field from his view along with artist Patrick Vale. The proceeds from the project went to Happ's charity. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Happ released his own coffee brand, 'Quarantine Coffee', which had a portion of sales go directly towards COVID-19 relief charities. Since then, he has also teamed up with Connect Roasters and Morale Supply Company to sell 'Morale Blend' coffee. In 2015, the same year he was drafted, Happ's father, Keith, passed away after a courageous battle with cancer. Later, the Happ family debuted the 'Happ Family Charitable Fund' to support mental health awareness and wellness through organizations like Bring Change to Mind and First Tee Greater Chicago. Happ continuously works with a number of Chicago based charities to raise money for those in need.
The South Bend Cubs will welcome the Peoria Chiefs to Four Winds Field for their 4th of July weeklong celebration July 1 -3. Both July 2 and 3 will have a special fireworks display and July 3 will also feature a special post-game concert. Details on the concert will be available in the coming weeks. Opening Day at Four Winds Field is April 9.
About the South Bend Cubs
The South Bend Cubs are the High-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. Over the past 35 seasons, the team has won five Midwest League titles, most recently in 2022, and captured nine division titles. In 2023, the organization was selected as the Single-A Bob Freitas Award recipient by Baseball America. Four Winds Field, home of the South Bend Cubs, was voted Best High-A ballpark in the country by Ballpark Digest in 2022 and 2023, having also won the award as a Low-A ballpark in 2017. In 2019, the South Bend Cubs hosted the final Midwest League All-Star Game. In 2015 the team was named Ballpark Digest's Team of the Year and received the John H. Johnson President's Award, the highest award in minor league baseball. The team is owned and operated by Swing-Batter-Swing, LLC whose principal shareholder is Andrew T. Berlin of Chicago, Ill.
Nationals prospect King joins MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Here are the 2025 All-Spring Breakout Teams
Fifteen games, several jersey swaps and countless highlights later, the second edition of Spring Breakout has officially concluded – and it lived up to its billing. Of the 16 contests sprinkled across four days, only one game (Dodgers vs. Cubs) was rained out. Coincidentally, the Cubs were one of two
Rox young sluggers aim to bring pop back to Coors Field
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Coors Field may provide the best run-scoring environment in Major League Baseball, but the Rockies haven’t taken advantage of it in recent years. Even without adjusting for Coors, they have fielded offenses worse than the league average the past three seasons, and they scored the fewest runs
Astros brass sees potential in consistently 'underranked' farm system
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The last time the Astros landed in the top 10 of MLB Pipeline’s farm system rankings was before the 2019 season. Since those rankings expanded to all 30 teams ahead of the 2020 season -- 11 lists in total -- they’ve never ranked higher than
Complete results and highlights from Spring Breakout
The second edition of MLB Spring Breakout is complete, and there was no shortage of highlights from the future stars of Major League Baseball over the four-day showcase. Here's a complete breakdown of the 16-game exhibition:
Southpaw Spring Breakout: White Sox future on display with Schultz, Smith
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- If all goes as planned for the White Sox, left-handers Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz won’t spend much time following each other to the mound in a single game. Schultz, the No. 1 White Sox prospect and No. 16 overall, per MLB Pipeline, and Smith, who is
In first pro game, Rainer offers pop, promise to Tigers fans
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- Bryce Rainer’s pro career consisted of workouts and batting practice until Sunday.
'Me and Brady on the dirt again': House, King reunite at Spring Breakout
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The 2025 Spring Breakout was a flashback for Brady House and Seaver King. Over 10 years ago, the infielders were travel ball teammates in Georgia who shared the dream of making it to the Major Leagues. Now, they are top prospects in the same organization,
Lambert -- 'an adrenaline guy' -- hoping to be next Mets bullpen gem
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Ryan Lambert loves throwing hard. He relishes the idea of getting to two strikes and blowing hitters away. “Get me in a game,” Lambert said, “cool things will happen.”
Stewart embraces Spring Breakout: 'What's not to love?'
PHOENIX -- Sal Stewart was one fired-up Reds prospect. On Sunday in the first inning during the organization's 9-7 Spring Breakout win over Brewers prospects, Stewart lifted a 2-2 pitch that sailed over the center fielder's head to the wall. Already not known as a speedster, he stumbled running between
Prospect Peña quietly drawing raves in Brewers' farm system
PHOENIX – Jesús Made was at the top of the Brewers’ lineup for Sunday’s 9-7 loss to the Reds in the finale of MLB’s four-day Spring Breakout, a fitting perch when you consider that the 17-year-old infielder is under a bright spotlight as MLB Pipeline’s No. 55 prospect. Made could
Brecht -- in 1st outing since '24 Draft -- wows at Spring Breakout
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Sunday's Spring Breakout showcase was the perfect unveiling for Rockies No. 5 prospect Brody Brecht. A right-handed pitcher from the University of Iowa whom the Rockies selected 38th overall last summer, Brecht had a nice collegiate resume, an interesting backstory as a former wide receiver for the
Braves prospects show promise in Spring Breakout
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- As Terry Pendleton prepared to serve as the manager of the Braves prospect team that played the Tigers prospect team in a Spring Breakout game on Sunday afternoon, he said fans should be patient with John Gil and Luis Guanipa, a pair of teenagers who have
Yanks' Lagrange flashes triple-digit heat in Spring Breakout
SARASOTA, Fla. -- There was an audible “Ooh” from the crowd at Ed Smith Stadium, and Carlos Lagrange quickly glanced beyond the right-field wall, checking the velocity of the pitch he’d just thrown in Saturday’s 5-4 Spring Breakout loss to the Orioles. It had registered in the triple digits, and
Bradfield dedicates Spring Breakout performance to late friend
SARASOTA, Fla. -- It was about more than playing in the national spotlight. More than the dinner bet placed with an old college teammate earlier in the month. More than a game. As Enrique Bradfield Jr. slid home to score a run during the first inning of Saturday night’s Spring
'Hungry' Alcántara hoping to pounce on big league prey in '25
MESA, Ariz. -- The thing about jaguars is, you don’t want to see one when it’s hungry. So when Cubs legend Sammy Sosa spoke to the organization’s No. 6 prospect per MLB Pipeline -- and the No. 89 prospect overall -- the former slugger gave him some apt advice. “His
Rainiers broadcaster Pay talks historic role on MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Prospect Santos 'electric' in Spring Breakout start
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Malcolm Moore knew Winston Santos was locked in before he even threw a pitch. In the second annual Spring Breakout game, Santos -- the Rangers’ No. 5 prospect, per MLB Pipeline -- was throwing to Moore, the Rangers’ No. 4 prospect and highest-ranked catcher. The battery more
Switch-pitcher Cijntje deals from both sides in Spring Breakout
GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Jurrangelo Cijntje knew who’d be waiting for him in the batter’s box when he emerged from the visiting bullpen on Friday evening. The Mariners’ switch-pitcher had seen Guardians infielder Travis Bazzana recently at a card-signing event, to which they each joked, “I’m going to see you soon,”
Fans in this Minor League town are hungry for ... the Spicy Meatballs?!?
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Chandler adds mix to upper-90s heat in stellar Spring Breakout start
CLEARWATER, Fla. -- In the inaugural Spring Breakout game a year ago, as he was coming out to pitch the ninth inning, Bubba Chandler slammed a Red Bull and declared “let’s do this” before pumping upper-90s heat.