Cody Bellinger was born on July 13, 1995, in Scottsdale, Ariz. He is the son of former big legaue player Clay Bellinger, who won two World Series championships with the New York Yankees.
Bellinger was often around Major League clubhouses as a young child and played baseball from the get-go. When he was 10 years old, he represented Chandler, Ariz., in the 2007 Little League World Series.
Bellinger continued playing baseball into his teenage years and starred for Hamilton High School. In addition to his hitting skills, he had a knack for pitching as well, throwing a four-hit, complete-game shutout in a national tournament.
Bellinger earned 2013 Rawlings-Perfect Game 2nd Team All-American honors as a senior and verbally committed to playing baseball for the University of Oregon.
However, those plans changed when Bellinger was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fourth round of the 2013 MLB Draft. A $700,000 signing bonus swayed his decision to immediately turn pro.
Minor League career
Shortly after graduating high school, Bellinger’s professional career began with a stint on the Dodgers’ Arizona League affiliate. He struggled out of the gate, batting just .210/.340/.358 with nine doubles, six triples, one home run and 30 RBI in 195 plate appearances (45 games).
Bellinger spent the majority of the following year with the Rookie-level Ogden while also appearing in five Arizona League games. Between the two affiliates, he hit .312/.352/.474 with 23 extra-base hits over 51 games.
It wasn’t until the 2015 season in which Bellinger’s power numbers surged. He broke out to the tune of a .264/.336/.538 batting line with 33 doubles, 30 home runs and 103 RBI in 128 games for High-A Rancho Cucamonga.
Bellinger continued climbing up the Minor League ladder the following year, splitting time between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City. In 117 games between the two levels, he hit 26 home runs and posted an .872 on-base plus slugging.
Bellinger opened up the 2017 season with the Dodgers’ top Minor League affiliate and continued tearing the cover off the ball before earning his first MLB promotion at the end of April.
Dodgers career
Bellinger immediately made an impact at the Major League level, recording his first multi-home run effort just five games into his career. He eventually took over the starting job at first base after Adrian Gonzalez landed on the disabled list, and thrived with an even bigger workload.
Bellinger hit a stellar .261/.342/.619 in the first half en route to his first All-Star Game selection and eventual unanimous National League Rookie of the Year honors. He finished the year with a .267/.352/.581 batting line and an NL rookie record 39 home runs, which has since been broken by New York Mets All-Star Pete Alonso.
Bellinger took a step back the following year, but still produced at an above-average Major League level, posting an .814 OPS with 28 doubles, 25 home runs and 76 RBI in 162 games.
Bellinger, however, struggled mightily against left-handed pitching and was reduced to a platoon role by the second half of the season.
Looking to bounce back and improve against the same split, Bellinger entered the 2019 season with a chip on his shoulder. He jumped out to a terrific start and eventually earned NL Player of the Month honors for April.
Bellinger was able to sustain his early success and earned a nod to his second career All-Star Game. An equally impressive second half solidified what would be an offseason full of accolades.
In 156 games, Bellinger hit .305/.406/.629 with 34 doubles, 47 home runs, 115 RBI and 15 stolen bases across 661 plate appearances. He was named NL MVP, earned Silver Slugger honors and was recognized for his defensive excellence with a Gold Glove Award.
He graded out positively at three different positions, receiving the bulk of his work in right field. Bellinger also accomplished his goal of improving against left-handed pitching, hitting .280/.386/.596 with 18 home runs in 228 opportunities.
After putting together one of the best individual seasons in Dodgers history, Bellinger cashed out in his first year of arbitration eligibility, signing a one-year, $11.5 million contract for the 2020 season — breaking the previous record set by Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant.
