How the ‘underrated’ Cody Bellinger became the Yankees’ second-best player, and what 2025 means for his future

BOSTON — Cody Bellinger is doing that thing again. The thing that made him an MVP with the Dodgers in 2019. Sure, Bellinger was in a different stratosphere that season when he hit .305/.406/.629 with 47 homers. But this season, in its own right, is special, too. See, when Bellinger was with the Dodgers, everything was in a flow state. He was just 23 in 2019. Relying on ability and athleticism alone was enough to dominate and become a household name. But graduating from young pup to veteran makes way for perspective. Enduring injuries requires adjustments. Bellinger, now 30, has shifted perspective. He has made the adjustments, going from talented youngster to seasoned — and talented — vet.

What could be his lone season with the Yankees has reminded everyone of just who Bellinger is in a market that can bury more than baptize.

“I mean, he’s been a star,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “In every way.”

Let’s take a look at the star.

In 140 games, Bellinger has ascended to the Yankees’ second-best player, behind only Aaron Judge. He’s batting .274/.329/.493 on the year, coupled with 28 homers. Bellinger is also New York’s most versatile defender, covering every position a lefthander can play at a Gold Glove level. First? That was his natural position when he was first introduced to the Dodgers. Center? He glides to a spot. His 6-foot-3, 204-pound frame — that and instincts — are the reason for the seamless journey. Left and right field? He can yawn and play those.

“I mean, he’s a hell of a player on both sides of the ball,” Yankees general manager and senior vice president Brian Cashman said. “He’s been a positive addition. I’m glad we were able to run into him this offseason when we did. He’s really helped lengthen our lineup and improve our defense in a big way.”

Much like his defense, you can slot him anywhere offensively. He can lead off. He can hit second. Right now, the Yankees have him in the three-hole, behind the best hitter on the planet who will almost certainly win his third American League MVP.

So how did Bellinger get back into this groove as a vital player on a World Series contender?

Well, it’s nothing you can replicate.

His setup

The really good hitters always have something unique in their game, something that can’t be taught to the crowd. Judge, for instance, can launch with the bat angled upward, a product of his size. For most pitchers, the counter would be simple: elevate heaters above the hands. But Judge is 6-foot-7, and getting a fastball above him is no small task. It’s either a ball or one he can park in the stands.

In Bellinger’s case, he stands straight up at the plate with little bend in his knees. Then from there, when the pitch is delivered, Bellinger just fires, virtually with no load.

Let’s sit with those two points.

Normally, a bend in the knee serves as a power source, creating tension before the swing. Standing tall can take some of that away. 

Now to the load — that’s another source of power. Think of a rubber band. To shoot one, you have to pull it back. Same with hitting. 

Bellinger, however, utilizes the basic and classic “see ball, hit ball” approach. There’s not much movement until the pitch is basically on him, and he has success doing so.

“I definitely start later than most, that’s for sure,” Bellinger said recently. “The term start early never really resonated with me because when I feel like I start earlier, I get disconnected, and then nothing really flows as fluently. So I just understand my timing and the way I can time up a pitch.”

Timing is everything in hitting, and Bellinger has his down pat. But it’s worth noting again: It can’t be replicated. He’s one of the game’s more athletic players, generating whip and torque without momentum. It’s all created by his own force. His backswing snaps off his shoulders, the bat almost springing away like it hit a trampoline.

“I look at videos of myself in the minor leagues, I went about it a different way,” said Bellinger on how he attacks the baseball. “But the principles and the concept are all the same.”

He used to live off his high ceiling, the kind that came in waves. Now he lives on a high floor, built on consistency.

“He’s underrated,” Judge said. “I don’t think he gets enough credit for what he does for this team. I know he didn’t start off the way he wanted to in April. But the guy stayed consistent. He isn’t scared of the moment. He wasn’t scared of the pressure. He just put his head down, went to work, and it’s been fun to watch what he’s done so far this year.”

Underlying numbers

You understand the setup at the plate. Now here are the results. Despite what looks like a reckless swing, Bellinger doesn’t strike out often. In fact, he finished 2023 with just 87 strikeouts and only 89 in 2024. This season, with less than two weeks to go in the regular season, he has just 80. You can expect him to put the ball in play.

Yet some circles, particularly the analytical ones, have a gripe when it comes to Bellinger that could impact his free agency: his hard-hit rate.

Per Baseball Savant, Bellinger ranks in the 32nd percentile in hard-hit rate. In 2023, his revival season with the Cubs, he was all the way down at the 10th. But does that metric really matter with Bellinger? Like an old-school pitcher who paints the corners and makes the ball dance, Bellinger manipulates his barrel, finding just enough of it for a hit. And when he needs to, he can still drive one out. He understands his movement patterns. He knows how to get from point A to point B without much effort. He’s seasoned now. Measured.

“I just think it depends on what angle you’re hitting the ball,” said Bellinger when asked if hard-hit rate should matter. “Are you hitting the ball 110 miles per hour at 50-degree launch angle constantly? Are you hitting the ball at 110 MPH at minus-1-degree launch angle? Those are outs no matter how hard you’re hitting the ball. It’s all about hitting consistently at the right angle.”

Bellinger doesn’t care about always getting his A swing off. In fact, his B or C swings are what he prefers.

And it has worked.

The breakdown

This season isn’t just a one-off for Bellinger. It required greatness and failure. Aced tests and flunked ones.

His greatest gift, though?

“I think for me, my superpower is adjustability,” Bellinger said. “I can hit the top of the quadrant, bottom quadrant, and it comes in different ways.”

Let’s consider those ways.

In the Yankees’ 5-3 win over the Red Sox on Saturday, which sealed a series victory, it was Bellinger who landed the final blow on dominant Boston closer Aroldis Chapman. For context, Chapman has been the best closer in baseball this season. Before giving up a run to the Athletics last week, he hadn’t allowed one since late July.

The Yankees got him for one more — and because of Bellinger, it became two.

This first pitch of the at-bat is important because it leads into the last offering of the nine-pitch at-bat. Chapman missed up and in with a heater. One that Bellinger fouls off, establishing the fact that Chapman — who saw a dip in velocity this outing — couldn’t beat him upstairs.

After missing up and in with a fastball, Chapman went to a slider for a strike. Bellinger laid off the next one, a chase pitch in the dirt, to make it 1-2. Chapman then missed badly up and in, evening the count, before Bellinger took another slider away to work it full, 3-2.

Here’s where Bellinger begins to really hunt. He swings at a 3-2 slider, just beneath the zone, fouling it off. Location matters. It was down and away.

Then, with the hope of either freezing him or getting Bellinger to swing through the pitch, Chapman tosses his four-seamer and Bellinger fouls it off. Again, location matters. This was middle-away.

Bellinger then fouled off a slider that backed up on Chapman. Location: high and in.

Finally, Bellinger popped Chapman for an RBI double off the Green Monster. The pitch? Fastball up and away.

Bellinger made it clear Chapman couldn’t beat him up and in (see first video), nor up and away. Nor middle-away. Nor low and away. His swing, to his point, covers every quadrant.

What does this year mean for Bellinger’s free agency?

Let’s reel this in some. Bellinger has established himself as one of the marquee free agents heading into this offseason. His player option with the Yankees won’t be exercised. Bellinger is set to opt out. Bellinger is a Scott Boras client and, of course, will be looking for top dollar. He’s a huge part of the reason that the Yankees are in that first wild card spot. If you ask around, the market for Bellinger sits in the $120-150 million range across five or six seasons. Maybe he could get more.

Ranking the top 10 MLB free agents for the 2025-26 offseason: Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman, Cody Bellinger, more

R.J. Anderson

As for the Yankees, maybe they’d invite a reunion.

“That’s all for another day,” Cashman said.

In these upcoming days and into October, Bellinger will continue doing his thing.