What to know about Dodgers' Cody Bellinger on night of HR Derby
Up until Saturday, it seemed like the only feat left to accomplish for Dodgers' rookie Cody Bellinger was a walk-off at-bat.
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th inning, Bellinger added yet another accolade in 2017 without swinging his bat. The rookie looked at an outside pitch on a full count, drawing a walk-off walk against the Royals.
Far more impressive, though, is the fact that Bellinger led this team to a 61-29 first-half start — and he wasn’t supposed to be starting for the Dodgers this early.
Now, he’s the youngest position player to make the All-Star Game in franchise history. The 21-year-old leads the team in RBI (58), home runs (25) and slugging percentage (.619).
Here’s a deeper look at Bellinger, who will face off against fellow rookie Aaron Judge in the Home Run Derby Monday night.
1. Who is Jerry Seinfeld?
The final episode of Seinfeld ran in May of 1998, less than three years after Cody Bellinger was born. But even then, there is no excuse for the amount of disrespect thrown to the legend himself in the video below.
Bellinger’s teammates weren’t just going to let him get away with this ignorant blasphemy.
2. Daddy’s boy
Cody Bellinger’s love for baseball began when he followed his dad at work as a kid. Clay Bellinger was a utility player for the New York Yankees from 1999-2001, and he won the World Series in his first two seasons.
In nearly one-third of the number of games, the Dodgers’ rookie has already more than doubled his dad’s career home run total. Bellinger’s dad currently serves as a firefighter for the Gilbert Fire Department in Arizona. The father will pitch to his son at Monday’s Home Run Derby.
Clay’s genetics spread to the rest of the family as well. The San Diego Padres selected Cody’s brother, Cole, in the 15th round of last month’s draft. Ashli, Cody’s sister, played volleyball at Vanguard University.
3. The Jeter blessing
While his dad played for the Yankees, Cody ventured around the team’s facility sometimes. The kindergarten-aged Bellinger practiced his swing often in the New York batting cages. Derek Jeter noticed.
“Man, you didn’t get your swing from your dad,” Jeter told Bellinger, according to an LA Times story.
In retrospect, that must feel odd for Bellinger. He began as a Yankees fan and later grew fond of the Boston Red Sox. Both prior allegiances obviously changed once he started playing for the Dodgers.
4. He hit one homer his senior year
Before emerging as a player with the perfect speed-power combo, Bellinger entered a late awkward phase. The 6-foot-4, 210-pounder was a late bloomer in high school, which made him temporarily uncoordinated.
Despite going yard once his senior season, Bellinger was selected in the fourth round of the 2013 draft. The left-hander was committed to play for the University of Oregon but chose the team that drafted him instead.
Bellinger’s first two seasons in the minor leagues mirrored his final year in high school. The Arizona-native hit just four homers in 2013 and 2014 combined, however his success in 2015 launched him.
5. The ultimate on pace guy
The Dodgers entered April 25 with a losing 9-11 record. Meanwhile, the D-Backs and Rockies were exceeding expectations. Cody Bellinger’s arrival lit a fire under his team that not even is dad could relinquish.
Bellinger fixed his aforementioned power hitting struggles by fixing his swing. In response, he hit 30 home runs in the 2016 minor league season. It earned him an opportunity to compete at spring training, but he didn’t receive an immediate starting gig.
Because of his late start, Bellinger’s numbers are proportionally better than most of the other elite hitters in 2017. The rookie blasted 21 home runs in his first 51 games, which is the quickest any player has ever reached that mark. For comparison, Aaron Judge cranked 14 in that time frame. Bellinger became the first rookie to hit 10 home runs in 10 days during a stretch in June.
Bellinger is on pace to rewrite these Dodger rookie records: home runs (35), RBI (112), slugging percentage (.561) and strikeouts (149). The first baseman is already at 25, 58, .619 and 85, respectively.
6. The signs were there all along
Before making it in the major leagues, Bellinger starred on a 2007 Little League World Series team. The then-12-year-old led Arizona to the semifinals.