Cody Bellinger Bio
Cody James Bellinger is an American professional baseball outfielder and first baseman who became one of the most productive young hitters of his generation. Drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2013, he rose quickly through the minor leagues and reached the majors in 2017, winning the National League Rookie of the Year in his debut season. Bellinger has since played for the Chicago Cubs and the New York Yankees, earning an NL MVP award in 2019 and a World Series title in 2020. He remains a highly regarded two-way player, recognized for both his power at the plate and his Gold Glove-caliber defense.
Born into a baseball family, Bellinger carries a deep connection to the game through his father, former MLB utility player Clay Bellinger. His career has been marked by record-setting offensive outbursts, dramatic postseason moments, and an impressive comeback after several injury-plagued seasons. As of the 2025 season, Bellinger has reached the 200-home-run and 1,000-hit milestones, cementing his status as one of the most accomplished players of his era.
Early Life and Background
Cody James Bellinger was born on July 13, 1995, in Scottsdale, Arizona, to Clay and Jennifer Bellinger. His mother works for Sotheby’s International Realty, while his father played Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees and Anaheim Angels from 1999 to 2002, winning two World Series championships during that span. Growing up in a household with a deep baseball pedigree, Bellinger was introduced to the sport at a very young age and quickly developed a passion for hitting and fielding.
Clay Bellinger also coached the Chandler, Arizona National Little League team, and Cody played on the squad that reached the 2007 Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. At only 11 years old, one year younger than most of his teammates, Bellinger helped clinch a berth in the series with a four-RBI performance in the Little League West Regional. Chandler advanced to the LLWS but was eliminated in the semifinals. The experience exposed Bellinger to high-level competition at a young age and helped shape his competitive drive.
Bellinger attended Hamilton High School in Chandler, Arizona, where he became a standout baseball player. He was voted team MVP as both a junior and a senior, hitting .429 in his senior season. Despite standing 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighing only 170 pounds in high school, his combination of size, athleticism, and baseball instincts drew the attention of professional scouts.
Path to Major League Baseball
The Los Angeles Dodgers selected Bellinger in the fourth round, 124th overall, of the 2013 MLB Draft, and he chose to forgo his commitment to play college baseball for the Oregon Ducks. He signed with the Dodgers for a $700,000 signing bonus and began his professional career with the AZL Dodgers in the Rookie League, batting .210 with one home run and 30 RBIs in 47 games. In his second season with the Ogden Raptors, he batted .328 with 34 RBIs in 46 Pioneer League games, showing the offensive potential that had made him a top prospect.
Bellinger’s 2015 season with the Class A-Advanced Rancho Cucamonga Quakes marked his first full year in the minor leagues. By mid-June, he ranked fifth in the California League with 12 home runs while being at least three years younger than every other top-five hitter. He appeared in both the midseason and postseason California League All-Star Games and helped the Quakes win a Cal League championship, earning the California League Championship Series MVP award after registering three extra-base hits in the final series.
After a strong 2016 spring training, Bellinger opened the season with the Double-A Tulsa Drillers, though a strained hip cost him the first part of the year. Upon returning, he struggled at the plate before breaking out with a walk-off grand slam on May 16. He was promoted to the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers in September and later earned All-Fall League honors with the Glendale Desert Dogs in the Arizona Fall League. Bellinger began the 2017 season with Oklahoma City, batting .343 in his first 18 games before receiving his call-up to Los Angeles on April 25.
Cody Bellinger Career
Early Career (2017)
Bellinger made his MLB debut on April 25, 2017, starting in left field and batting eighth against the San Francisco Giants. He recorded his first major league hit that night and became the third Dodger since 1913 to be intentionally walked in his MLB debut. Four days later, he hit his first two career home runs against the Philadelphia Phillies, and on May 6, his first career grand slam helped the Dodgers beat the San Diego Padres 10–2.
He went on to set numerous Dodgers rookie records during the 2017 season, including the fastest player in MLB history to record four multi-home run games, doing so in only 45 contests. Bellinger tied Mike Piazza’s Dodgers rookie home run record before breaking it with his 39th home run in September, also setting the NL rookie home run record previously shared by Wally Berger and Frank Robinson. He finished his rookie season hitting .267 with 39 home runs, 97 RBIs, and 87 runs scored in 132 games.
Los Angeles Dodgers Breakthrough (2017–2019)
Bellinger’s first MLB postseason began with the 2017 National League Division Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he became the youngest Dodger to hit a postseason home run in franchise history. He followed that with a home run in Game 4 of the 2017 NLCS, becoming the youngest player to homer in a Championship Series game since Miguel Cabrera in 2003. Despite striking out 29 times during the 2017 postseason, he was the unanimous winner of the NL Rookie of the Year Award.
In 2018, Bellinger played all 162 regular-season games, batting .260 with 25 home runs and 76 RBIs, and helped the Dodgers win the NL West. His defining moment came in the 2018 NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers, where a 13th-inning single led to a walk-off win, and a go-ahead home run in Game 7 clinched the National League pennant for Los Angeles. Bellinger was named the 2018 NLCS MVP, although the Dodgers ultimately lost the World Series to the Boston Red Sox in five games.
Bellinger’s 2019 season was his most decorated. He set career highs with a .305 batting average, 47 home runs, and 115 RBIs, earning the NL MVP award along with the NL Gold Glove Award, the NL Silver Slugger Award, and selections to the All-MLB First Team. He became the first Dodger in club history to take home all three major individual honors in the same season and the first MLB player ever to win two Fielding Bible Awards in one year. His offensive production and defensive versatility made him the centerpiece of the Dodgers’ roster.
Los Angeles Dodgers Continued and World Series Title (2020–2022)
Following the 2019 season, Bellinger signed an $11.5 million contract for 2020, the largest single-season contract for a first-year arbitration-eligible player at that time. The COVID-19 pandemic shortened the season, and Bellinger’s production dropped to a .239 batting average with 12 home runs in 56 games. He remained a strong defensive presence, however, and played a vital role in the Dodgers’ run to the 2020 World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays. His defensive catch against Fernando Tatis Jr. in the NLDS preserved a one-run lead, and his go-ahead home run in Game 7 of the NLCS sent Los Angeles to the Fall Classic, where he won his first World Series championship.
Bellinger underwent surgery on his right shoulder in November 2020 and struggled through injuries to his calf and rib cage in 2021. He fractured his left fibula in April and later broke a rib after a collision with teammate Gavin Lux, finishing the season with a career-low .165 batting average, 10 home runs, and 36 RBIs. In 2022, he batted .210 with 19 home runs and 68 RBIs while striking out 150 times, leading to the Dodgers non-tendering him after the season and making him a free agent.
Chicago Cubs Era (2023–2024)
On December 14, 2022, Bellinger signed a one-year contract with a mutual option for 2024 with the Chicago Cubs. He was named the National League Player of the Month for July 2023 after hitting eight home runs, driving in 24 runs, and batting .400. For the season, he hit .307 with 26 home runs and 97 RBIs, earning the NL Comeback Player of the Year award.
Bellinger declined his mutual option in November 2023 and re-signed with the Cubs in February 2024 on a three-year, $80 million contract that included opt-out clauses after each of the first two seasons. He finished the 2024 season batting .266 with 18 home runs and 78 RBIs before exercising the opt-out clause. On December 17, 2024, the Cubs traded Bellinger and $5 million in cash considerations to the New York Yankees in exchange for Cody Poteet.
New York Yankees Era (2025–Present)
Bellinger joined the Yankees for the 2025 season and quickly produced several career milestones. On May 4, he hit a two-run home run off Taj Bradley of the Tampa Bay Rays for his 200th career home run, and on June 10, he recorded his 1,000th career hit with an RBI single against Taylor Clarke. On July 11, Bellinger hit three home runs against the Chicago Cubs in an 11–0 win, marking the first three-homer game of his career. He was named the American League Player of the Week for the 23rd week of the season after going 12-for-27 with a 1.278 slugging percentage.
Bellinger finished the 2025 season batting .272 with 29 home runs and 98 RBIs. Following the season, he opted out of his contract for 2026, becoming a free agent once again.
Driving Style and Strengths
Bellinger has long been recognized for his exceptional defensive instincts, range, and arm strength across the outfield and at first base. At the plate, he became a power hitter after making adjustments to his batting stance during the 2014–15 offseason, incorporating a small hand and wrist movement that helped him drive the ball with authority. He is also known for his disciplined approach and ability to deliver in high-pressure postseason moments.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Bellinger’s most memorable moments are his 2018 NLCS MVP performance, his 2019 MVP season, and his Game 1 home run celebration during the 2020 World Series win. He reached 200 career home runs and 1,000 career hits during the 2025 season and recorded his first career three-homer game on July 11, 2025.
Cody Bellinger Career Wins
Bellinger has compiled an impressive list of accolades across multiple MLB seasons and organizations. He is a World Series champion, an NL MVP, a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger award winner, a two-time All-Star, and an NL Comeback Player of the Year.
Major League Highlights
Bellinger won the NL Rookie of the Year unanimously in 2017, the NL MVP in 2019, the NL Comeback Player of the Year in 2023, and a World Series title in 2020. He earned Gold Glove and Silver Slugger honors in 2019 and was selected as an All-Star in 2017 and 2019.
Other Wins and Performances
Bellinger was named the California League Championship Series MVP in 2015 after helping the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes win the Cal League title. He was also named an Arizona Fall League All-Fall League team member and a member of the AFL Top Prospects Team in 2016.
Cody Bellinger Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Cody Bellinger is the son of Clay and Jennifer Bellinger. His father, Clay Bellinger, played in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees and Anaheim Angels, winning two World Series titles. Bellinger also has a younger brother, Cole Bellinger, who was a standout pitcher at Hamilton High School and was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 15th round of the 2017 MLB Draft before retiring from baseball in 2021.
Personal Life
Bellinger is married to Chase Carter. The couple has two daughters, born in November 2021 and April 2023. A character inspired by Bellinger makes a cameo appearance in the video game Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, where he recorded his movements using motion capture technology to provide the in-game weapon animation.
2025 Season Performance
Bellinger’s 2025 season with the New York Yankees was one of the most productive of his career. He finished the year batting .272 with 29 home runs and 98 RBIs, reaching milestones such as 200 career home runs and 1,000 career hits. He also recorded his first career three-homer game on July 11 against the Chicago Cubs.
His standout production earned him the American League Player of the Week award during the 23rd week of the season, marking his first AL weekly honor. Bellinger’s power surge and consistency at the plate helped solidify his role as a key contributor in the Yankees’ lineup.
Following the 2025 campaign, Bellinger opted out of his contract for 2026, making him a free agent. With his proven track record and recent performance, he remains one of the most attractive position players available on the open market.