Cody James Bellinger, born on July 13, 1995, is an American baseball player who currently plays as an outfielder and first baseman for the New York Yankees in Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs. The Dodgers selected Bellinger in the fourth round of the 2013 MLB draft, and he made his first appearance with the team in 2017.
Bellinger, whose father Clay also played in the MLB, led his team to the Little League World Series in 2007 at the age of 11. He played high school baseball at Hamilton High School in Chandler, Arizona. After two years in the Rookie Leagues, Bellinger was promoted to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes in 2015, where he received mid- and postseason all-star honors and helped his team win the California League championship. A hip injury in 2016 slowed his progress through the Dodgers’ minor league system, but he was called up to the major leagues in April 2017 to support a struggling outfield.
The New York Yankees, who recently missed out on signing All-Star right fielder Juan Soto to the New York Mets, acquired former MVP Cody Bellinger from the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday. This move was part of the Yankees’ effort to improve their roster after losing out on Soto.
As part of a five-player trade, the Yankees sent right-handed pitcher Cody Poteet to the Cubs and received $5 million in the deal. The Yankees have informed Bellinger that he will be their primary center fielder and will also play some games at first base, allowing two-time MVP Aaron Judge to return to right field.
This acquisition follows the Yankees’ recent signings of left-handed starting pitcher Max Fried and All-Star closer Devin Williams from the Milwaukee Brewers, as they continue to strengthen their team after missing out on Soto.
The Yankees and Cubs began discussing the trade after Soto signed his 15-year, $765 million contract with the Mets. Initially, negotiations stalled when the Yankees asked the Cubs to cover $10 million of the $52.5 million remaining on Bellinger’s contract. Eventually, they reached a compromise, with the two teams splitting the difference.
The Cubs, who recently acquired All-Star right fielder Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros, plan to use the money saved from the Bellinger trade to pursue another starting pitcher. Bellinger’s contract includes a $27.5 million salary for 2025 and a potential $25 million for 2026, with a $5 million buyout option. The Cubs will pay $2.5 million of his salary next season and $2.5 million of his 2026 salary or buyout.
The Yankees now intend to sign a free-agent first baseman and have discussed options including Pete Alonso, Christian Walker, Carlos Santana, and Paul Goldschmidt. Among these players, only Alonso, who hit 34 home runs last year, has not won a Gold Glove award.
Bellinger, a two-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner, had a batting average of .266 with 18 home runs and 76 RBIs last season. This was a decrease from his first year with the Cubs when he batted .307 with 26 home runs and 97 RBIs. The Cubs had hoped Bellinger would opt out of his contract, but when he didn’t, they decided to trade him and began actively shopping him at the GM Meetings after the World Series.
Bellinger joins the Yankees 23 years after his father, Clay Bellinger, played for the team and won two World Series titles.
