The Los Angeles Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger was ranked as the No. 8 center fielder in baseball by MLB Network’s The Shredder heading into the 2022 season.
The Shredder ranked players by focusing on a three-year sample, with the 2021 season weighed more heavily. Both WAR and wRC+ among notable statistics factored in, while Statcast metrics are also part of the evaluation. Center field defense is also weighed more heavily than for other positions as one of the premium defensive spots on the field.
Bellinger has been ranked by The Shredder in five consecutive seasons, but after being No. 2 from 2019-21, the six-spot drop reflects the struggles he went through last year.
MLB Network’s analysts Sarah Langs and Vinnie Gennaro also ranked Bellinger eighth, while Mike Petriello had him 10th.
Last season, the 2019 National League MVP dealt with a fractured left fibula, hamstring trouble and non-displaced fracture in his left ribs. All of which contributed to Bellinger hitting just .165/.240/.302 over 95 games.
Bellinger did show some hope in October when he batted .353/.436/.471 with one double, one home run and seven RBI in 12 games as one of the Dodgers most productive postseason hitters.
Bellinger was encouraged by his late season turnaround during the 2021 postseason and believes he can learn from the struggles he faced throughout the season.
“Towards the end I really dialed in what made my good and why I’m good. Just try to go from there and keep learning and adjusting,” Bellinger recently said.
“It was a grind last year, to say the least. But it’s in the past. Like I’ve said, it’s been a huge learning curve the past few years. As I’m hitting in batting practice right now, I feel good, I feel strong, feel compact. I focused a lot on my shoulder, a lot on stabilizing my body and getting it strong. I’m feeling good.”
In his career, the 26-year-old has batted .257/.346/.511 with 133 home runs, a 124 wRC+, .355 wOBA and 15.7 WAR in 601 games played.
The Shredder 2022 rankings for center field
| Rank | The Shredder | Mike Petriello | Sarah Langs | Vince Gennaro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mike Trout (Angels) | Mike Trout (Angels) | Mike Trout (Angels) | Mike Trout (Angels) |
| 2 | George Springer (Blue Jays) | Luis Robert (White Sox) | Byron Buxton (Twins) | Starling Marte (Mets) |
| 3 | Byron Buxton (Twins) | George Springer (Blue Jays) | Luis Robert (White Sox) | Cedric Mullins (Orioles) |
| 4 | Bryan Reynolds (Pirates) | Bryan Reynolds (Pirates) | Starling Marte (Mets) | Luis Robert (White Sox) |
| 5 | Luis Robert (White Sox) | Cedric Mullins (Orioles) | Bryan Reynolds (Pirates) | Byron Buxton (Twins) |
| 6 | Starling Marte (Mets) | Starling Marte (Mets) | George Springer (Blue Jays) | George Springer (Blue Jays) |
| 7 | Cedric Mullins (Orioles) | Byron Buxton (Twins) | Cedric Mullins (Orioles) | Bryan Reynolds (Pirates) |
| 8 | Cody Bellinger (Dodgers) | Harrison Bader (Cardinals) | Cody Bellinger (Dodgers) | Cody Bellinger (Dodgers) |
| 9 | Ramón Laureano (Athletics) | Trent Grisham (Padres) | Harrison Bader (Cardinals) | Harrison Bader (Cardinals) |
| 10 | Adam Duvall (Braves) | Cody Bellinger (Dodgers) | Trent Grisham (Padres) | Ramón Laureano (Athletics) |
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