Several Los Angeles Dodgers veterans made their respective 2017 Spring Training debuts on Sunday against the Milwaukee Brewers, but it was prospects Cody Bellinger and Alex Verdugo who stole the show at Maryvale Baseball Park.
A back-and-forth affair led to the Dodgers and Brewers entering the eighth inning locked in a tie. The teams to that point had combined for 16 runs and 21 hits. Bellinger broke the 8-8 tie in emphatic fashion, turning on a fastball from left-handed reliever Andrew Barbosa.
His homer sailed over the brim in right field and bounced out of the stadium. It was reminiscent of a home run Bellinger hit last season for Double-A Tulsa at ONEOK Field.
“I actually had no idea it went out of the stadium until they told me after the game,” Bellinger said following the Dodgers’ 10-8 victory. “I’m excited to watch the video.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts referred to Bellinger’s fireworks display as “80 power,” which is the top grade on a scouting scale.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a ball hit that well,” Roberts added. “I certainly haven’t seen one hit that well here. I don’t see many guys in the big leagues that can hit a ball like that. He can barrel some baseballs.”
The crowd had hardly come to grips with Bellinger’s monster shot when Verdugo hit a solo home run halfway up the same brim. Rather than gush about his homer, Verdugo raved about the success of his close friend.
“I was actually joking about in the dugout. I felt like [Bellinger] was going to hit one,” Verdugo said. “He just looked like he was really on it today. I was like, ‘3-2 (count), he better not throw him a fastball.’ Sure enough, it was a fastball. I’m pretty sure it left the ballpark. It was an absolute bomb.”
Rob Segedin began the Dodgers’ home run parade with a drive to center field that cleared the batter’s eye. “That was some serious pop,” Verdugo said of Segedin’s home run.
