Cody Bellinger Bio
Cody James Bellinger is an American professional baseball outfielder and first baseman who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, and New York Yankees. Bellinger was born on July 13, 1995, in Scottsdale, Arizona, the son of former MLB player Clay Bellinger. He made his MLB debut with the Dodgers in 2017 and quickly rose to prominence, becoming the NL Rookie of the Year in the same year. Bellinger won a World Series title in 2020 and earned numerous accolades, including the NL MVP award in 2019. Throughout his career, he has shown impressive power at the plate.
Early Life and Background
Cody James Bellinger was born on July 13, 1995, in Scottsdale, Arizona, to Clay and Jennifer Bellinger. His father, Clay, played in MLB for the New York Yankees and Anaheim Angels from 1999 to 2002, winning two World Series championships during that span. Clay also coached the Chandler, Arizona National Little League team, and Cody joined that squad in reaching the 2007 Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, at just 11 years old.
A few years later, Bellinger became a standout baseball player for Hamilton High School in Chandler. He was voted team MVP as both a junior and a senior, and hit .429 in his senior season. Although scouts showed interest, most MLB teams were hesitant to use a high draft pick on Bellinger, who stood 6 feet 4 inches but weighed only 170 pounds in his final year of high school and had hit only one home run that season.
Path to Baseball
The Los Angeles Dodgers selected Bellinger in the fourth round, 124th overall, of the 2013 MLB draft. At the time, he had committed to play college baseball for the Oregon Ducks. Bellinger chose to forgo his commitment to Oregon to sign with the Dodgers for a signing bonus of $700,000. He spent his first professional seasons in Rookie League and Minor League Baseball, developing his power stroke and plate discipline.
Assigned to the Class A-Advanced Rancho Cucamonga Quakes in 2015, Bellinger’s prospect performance started gaining attention. He was fifth in the California League with 12 home runs by June 11 and was at least three years younger than every other top-five hitter. After making the midseason California League All-Star Game, he helped the Quakes to a Cal League championship title, registering the game-winning home run in the championship series and earning Championship Series MVP honors. He batted .264 for the Quakes, recording 30 home runs and 103 RBIs.
A hip injury delayed his rise through the Dodgers’ farm system in 2016, but he still managed 23 home runs with the Double-A Tulsa Drillers before a brief stint with Triple-A Oklahoma City. He earned All-Fall League team honors that offseason. Bellinger opened the 2017 season with Oklahoma City, batting .343 with five home runs and 15 RBIs in the first 18 games before receiving a call-up to the majors.
Cody Bellinger Career
Los Angeles Dodgers Breakthrough (2017–2019)
Faced with a struggling and injured outfield, the Dodgers called Bellinger up on April 25, 2017, giving him the start in left field against the San Francisco Giants. Four days later, Bellinger hit the first and second home runs of his major league career in a game against the Philadelphia Phillies. A series of multi-home run games in June helped Bellinger set several team and MLB records, including becoming the fastest player in MLB history to record four multi-home run games. He capped off the first half of the season with his first appearances in both the Major League Baseball All-Star Game and the Home Run Derby.
During his rookie season, Bellinger became the first Dodgers rookie in history to hit for the cycle. With his 39th home run of the year on September 22, he broke Wally Berger and Frank Robinson’s record for the most National League home runs made by a rookie. He finished his rookie MLB season hitting .267 with 39 home runs, 97 RBIs, and 87 runs scored. In the postseason, he set the MLB record with 29 strikeouts in a single postseason run. Despite the Dodgers falling to the Houston Astros in the World Series, Bellinger was the unanimous winner of the NL Rookie of the Year Award.
As he entered the 2018 MLB season, Bellinger was unfazed by the concept of a sophomore slump. He hit the 40th home run of his career in his 136th game, making him the third-fastest MLB player to reach that mark. He played in all 162 regular-season games that year, batting .260 with 25 home runs and 76 RBIs. He helped the Dodgers capture the NL West title with the go-ahead two-run home run in a tiebreaker game against the Colorado Rockies on October 1. During the 2018 NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers, his 13th-inning single led the Dodgers toward a walk-off win. After hitting the go-ahead home run in Game 7 that clinched the National League pennant, Bellinger was named the NLCS MVP.
Bellinger started the 2019 season on a historic pace, leading MLB in runs, hits, batting average, and slugging percentage by the end of April. His 97 total bases, 37 RBIs, and 47 hits before May 1 were all MLB records. He received both his second All-Star game nod and his first All-Star start in 2019. On August 2, Bellinger hit his 100th career home run off Eric Lauer of the San Diego Padres in only his 401st game, breaking Mike Piazza’s Dodgers record of 422 games to 100 home runs.
Bellinger finished the 2019 season with career highs in batting average (.305), home runs (47), and RBIs (115). He received a trifecta of MLB awards, taking home the MVP award, the NL Gold Glove Award, and the NL Silver Slugger Award. He was the first Dodger in club history to take home all three honors in the same season. He rounded out the 2019 awards season with a selection to the inaugural All-MLB First Team.
Los Angeles Dodgers (2020–2022)
During the 2020 COVID-19-shortened season, Bellinger had a slow start and his numbers dropped from the previous year. In 56 games, he hit only .239 with a .789 OPS and 12 home runs. However, the Dodgers dominated the shortened season, developing a commanding lead over the NL West. Bellinger made a pivotal defensive play in Game 2 of the NLDS against the Padres, robbing Fernando Tatis Jr. of a two-run home run with a jumping catch. In Game 7 of the NLCS, Bellinger scored the go-ahead home run, clinching the Dodgers’ place in the 2020 World Series. There, the Dodgers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in six games for Bellinger’s first World Series championship and the Dodgers’ first since 1988. Bellinger had dislocated his shoulder celebrating that NLCS-winning home run but continued playing through the injury.
The 2021 season proved to be a career-worst year. Bellinger underwent shoulder surgery in November 2020. He suffered a hairline fracture in his left fibula after colliding with an Oakland Athletics player in April 2021. Upon returning in late May, he struggled at the plate due to lingering pain and weakness. He was relegated to a platoon role and suffered a fractured rib in September after colliding with teammate Gavin Lux. Bellinger finished the regular season batting a career-low .165 with ten home runs and 36 RBIs. Despite the struggles, he delivered in the playoffs, hitting a game-winning RBI single in Game 5 of the NLDS and a three-run home run in Game 3 of the NLCS.
In 2022, Bellinger had the lowest on-base percentage of all qualified hitters in the majors at .265, with a .210 batting average, 19 home runs, and 68 RBIs. After the season, the Dodgers non-tendered him, making him a free agent.
Chicago Cubs Era (2023–2024)
On December 14, 2022, Bellinger signed a one-year contract with the Chicago Cubs. He named the National League Player of the Month for July 2023, with eight home runs, 24 RBIs, and a .400 batting average over that span. For the season, he had a .307 batting average and hit 26 home runs while driving in 97 RBI. He earned the NL Comeback Player of the Year Award and his second Silver Slugger Award.
On February 27, 2024, Bellinger re-signed with the Cubs on a three-year, $80 million contract containing opt-out clauses after each of the first two seasons. Bellinger finished the 2024 season with a .266 average, 18 home runs, and 78 RBIs, and exercised the option on his contract for the 2025 season. On December 17, 2024, the Cubs traded Bellinger with $5 million in cash considerations to the New York Yankees in exchange for Cody Poteet.
New York Yankees (2025–Present)
Bellinger’s first season with the New York Yankees proved to be a milestone-filled year. On May 4, 2025, Bellinger hit a two-run homer off Taj Bradley of the Tampa Bay Rays, his 200th career home run. On June 10, Bellinger recorded his 1,000th career hit. On July 11, Bellinger hit three home runs against the Chicago Cubs as the Yankees won 11-0. It was Bellinger’s first career three-homer game.
Bellinger finished the 2025 season with a .272/.334/.480 slash line, with 29 home runs and 98 RBI. He was named American League Player of the Week for the 23rd week of the season after going 12-for-27 with two home runs and eight RBI in that period. He opted out of his contractual player option for the 2026 season, making him a free agent. On January 26, 2026, Bellinger re-signed with the Yankees to a five-year contract worth $162.5 million, with player opt-outs after the second and third years and a full no-trade clause.
Driving Style and Strengths
Bellinger transformed his offensive capabilities during the 2014-2015 offseason, working with Shawn Wooten and Damon Mashore to incorporate hand and wrist movements into his load phase, which helped generate more bat speed and power. He adapted his batting stance during the 2018-2019 offseason, adopting a more relaxed position at the plate and aiming to hit under breaking balls rather than over them. His flexibility defensively, playing right field, center field, and first base, combined with his Gold Glove-caliber defense, made him a valuable two-way player during his MVP season.
Notable Events and Milestones
Bellinger’s career has featured several signature moments. His 2017 rookie season included hitting for the cycle against the Miami Marlins. His 2018 NLCS MVP performance featured a dramatic walk-off single that helped the Dodgers advance to the World Series. The 2020 World Series championship represented the pinnacle of his Dodgers career. His 2025 season with the Yankees included his first career three-homer game and several milestone achievements.
Cody Bellinger Career Wins
Across eight major league seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, and New York Yankees, Bellinger has accumulated 236 career home runs and 744 RBIs in 1,175 games played through mid-June 2026.
Los Angeles Dodgers Highlights
Bellinger’s time with the Dodgers included record-setting performances. His 39 home runs as a rookie in 2017 set Dodgers single-season records for a rookie, earning him the NL Rookie of the Year Award. His MVP season in 2019 saw career highs of 47 home runs and 115 RBIs, with honors including the NL MVP, Gold Glove, Silver Slugger, and All-MLB First Team selections. He set the Dodgers franchise record for fastest player to reach 100 career home runs in just 401 games.
Chicago Cubs Highlights
Bellinger signed with the Cubs in December 2022 following his non-tender from the Dodgers. In his first season with Chicago, he won NL Comeback Player of the Year and earned his second Silver Slugger Award. He re-signed with the Cubs in February 2024 before being traded to the Yankees.
New York Yankees Highlights
Through mid-June 2026, Bellinger has hit 29 home runs and driven in 98 runs while earning his first AL Player of the Week honor. He reached several career milestones during the 2025 season with the Yankees.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 39 (2017), 47 (2019), 25 (2018), 12 (2020) | 97 (2017), 115 (2019), 76 (2018) | 132 games (2018) |
| Chicago Cubs | 26 (2023), 18 (2024) | 97 (2023), 78 (2024) | 156 games (2023) |
| New York Yankees | 29 (2025) | 98 (2025) | 145 games (2025) |
Cody Bellinger Family
Family Background and Baseball Lineage
Cody James Bellinger was born on July 13, 1995, in Scottsdale, Arizona, to Clay and Jennifer Bellinger. His father, Clay, played in MLB for the New York Yankees and Anaheim Angels from 1999 to 2002, winning two World Series championships during that span. Clay also coached the Chandler, Arizona National Little League team, and Cody joined that squad in reaching the 2007 Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, at just 11 years old.
Cody has one brother, Cole, who is four years his junior. Cole was selected by the San Diego Padres in the 15th round of the 2017 MLB draft and played two seasons in the Padres farm system before retiring from baseball in 2021.
Personal Life
Bellinger married Chase Carter. Together they have two daughters, born in November 2021 and April 2023. His mother, Jennifer Bellinger, works for Sotheby’s International Realty.