J.A. Happ (Baseball, 2002-04)
The first three-time First Team All-Big Ten selection in program history, J.A. Happ compiled a career 2.88 ERA in Evanston, which ranks seventh in program history and stands as the best mark in the last 35 seasons, before being drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the third round of the 2004 MLB Amateur Draft. Happ led the Big Ten in ERA as a freshman with a 1.62 mark and was named an honorable mention Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American. As a sophomore, he logged a career-best seven wins, posting a 3.58 ERA with 94 strikeouts in 83.0 innings of work. In his junior season, Happ went 6-3 with a Big Ten leading 106 strikeouts in 94.0 innings, becoming just the second Wildcat in program history with more than 100 strikeouts in a single season.
Happ finished his three-year Northwestern career with a 16-11 record, four saves, four shutouts and 251 strikeouts in 228.0 innings pitched. He continues to rank fourth all-time in strikeouts by a Wildcat pitcher and holds the program record winning six Big Ten Pitcher of the Week awards.
Happ played for eight different teams throughout his 15-year MLB career, going 133-100 with a 4.13 ERA and 1,661 strikeouts over 1,893.2 innings. He won a World Series as a member of the Phillies in 2008 and pitched 3.0 innings of relief in the NLCS. The following season, the left-hander finished second in National League Rookie of the Year voting, going 12-4 with a 2.93 ERA and a league best two shutouts. He finished sixth in 2016 American League Cy Young voting, compiling a career-best record of 20-4 with a 3.18 ERA in 195.0 innings for a Toronto Blue Jays team that reached the ALCS. Happ was named an All-Star in 2018 with the Blue Jays, and finished the campaign with the New York Yankees, totaling a season line of 17-6 with a 3.65 ERA in 177.2 innings. He finished his career with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2021 and announced his retirement in May 2022.
Happ finished his three-year Northwestern career with a 16-11 record, four saves, four shutouts and 251 strikeouts in 228.0 innings pitched. He continues to rank fourth all-time in strikeouts by a Wildcat pitcher and holds the program record winning six Big Ten Pitcher of the Week awards.
Happ played for eight different teams throughout his 15-year MLB career, going 133-100 with a 4.13 ERA and 1,661 strikeouts over 1,893.2 innings. He won a World Series as a member of the Phillies in 2008 and pitched 3.0 innings of relief in the NLCS. The following season, the left-hander finished second in National League Rookie of the Year voting, going 12-4 with a 2.93 ERA and a league best two shutouts. He finished sixth in 2016 American League Cy Young voting, compiling a career-best record of 20-4 with a 3.18 ERA in 195.0 innings for a Toronto Blue Jays team that reached the ALCS. Happ was named an All-Star in 2018 with the Blue Jays, and finished the campaign with the New York Yankees, totaling a season line of 17-6 with a 3.65 ERA in 177.2 innings. He finished his career with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2021 and announced his retirement in May 2022.
