Career Timeline of Cody Bellinger: Major Achievements and Milestones

Discover the career path of Cody Bellinger, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Cody Bellinger is a professional baseball player, currently an outfielder and first baseman for the New York Yankees. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2013 and made his MLB debut with them in 2017. Bellinger also played for the Chicago Cubs before joining the Yankees. He is a notable figure in contemporary baseball.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1913: Dodgers Intentionally Walked in Debut

In 2017, Cody Bellinger became the third Dodger since 1913 to be intentionally walked in his MLB debut.

1956: Dodgers Intentionally Walked in Debut

In 2017, Cody Bellinger became the third Dodger since 1913 to be intentionally walked in his MLB debut, following Chico Fernández in 1956.

1963: Dodgers Intentionally Walked in Debut

In 2017, Cody Bellinger became the third Dodger since 1913 to be intentionally walked in his MLB debut, following Dick Nen in 1963.

1978: Fastest Player Record

On June 13, 2017, Cody Bellinger became the fastest player in MLB history to record four multi-home run games in 45 contests, breaking Bob Horner's 1978 record of 63 games.

2003: Youngest Player to Homer in a Championship Series Game

In 2017, Cody Bellinger became the youngest player to homer in a Championship Series game since Miguel Cabrera did so in Game 7 of the 2003 NLCS.

2004: Consecutive Multi-Home Run Games

On June 13, 2017, Cody Bellinger became the first Dodger to have consecutive multi-home run games since Adrián Beltré in 2004.

2013: Drafted by the Dodgers

In 2013, Cody Bellinger was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fourth round of the MLB draft.

2014: Batting Stance Change

In 2014, Cody Bellinger changed his batting stance, working with Shawn Wooten and Damon Mashore to incorporate a hand and wrist movement into his load phase.

2015: Joins Rancho Cucamonga Quakes

In 2015, Cody Bellinger joined the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, becoming a mid- and postseason all-star, and helping the team win the California League championship title.

2016: Season with Tulsa Drillers and Oklahoma City Dodgers

In 2016, Cody Bellinger started the season with the Double-A Tulsa Drillers but missed time with a strained hip. He was later promoted to the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers on September 3.

2016: Hip Injury and Call-Up

In 2016, a hip injury delayed Cody Bellinger's progress, but he was called up to the major leagues in April 2017 to support the struggling outfield.

April 2017: Call-Up to Major Leagues

In April 2017, Cody Bellinger was called up to the major leagues to bolster a struggling outfield.

April 25, 2017: MLB Debut

On April 25, 2017, Cody Bellinger was called up by the Dodgers and made his MLB debut against the San Francisco Giants, recording his first major league hit.

2017: Begins Season with Oklahoma City

In 2017, Cody Bellinger began the season with Oklahoma City before being called up to Los Angeles.

2017: MLB Debut

In 2017, Cody Bellinger debuted in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

2017: Postseason Debut and Rookie of the Year

In 2017, Cody Bellinger made his MLB postseason debut, and set an MLB record with 29 strikeouts in a single postseason run. He was the unanimous winner of the NL Rookie of the Year Award.

2017: All-Star and Rookie of the Year

In 2017, Cody Bellinger participated in the MLB All-Star Game and Home Run Derby. He was also named the National League (NL) Rookie of the Year after the season.

2018: Batting adjustments

During the 2018 season, Cody Bellinger made adjustments to his batting stance, including adopting a more relaxed position at the plate.

2018: NL West Title and NLCS MVP

In 2018, Cody Bellinger helped the Dodgers capture the NL West title and was named the NLCS MVP after hitting the go-ahead home run in Game 7.

2018: Home Run and Stance Adjustment

In 2018, Cody Bellinger hit his 40th career home run in his 136th game. He also made an adjustment to his stance after being benched by manager Dave Roberts.

2018: NLCS MVP

In 2018, Cody Bellinger was named the MVP of the National League Championship Series after an extra innings walk-off single, helping the Dodgers reach the World Series.

April 2019: Player of the Month

In April 2019, Cody Bellinger received his first Player of the Month honors after batting .431 in 132 plate appearances.

2019: MVP, Gold Glove, and Silver Slugger Awards

Cody Bellinger finished the 2019 season with career highs in batting average (.305), home runs (47), and RBIs (115). He received the MVP award, the NL Gold Glove Award, and the NL Silver Slugger Award. He also received two Fielding Bible Awards and was selected to the All-MLB First Team.

2019: Contract with the Dodgers

During the 2019–20 MLB offseason, Cody Bellinger signed an $11.5 million contract with the Dodgers for the 2020 season, breaking Kris Bryant's record.

2019: 100th Career Home Run and Production Slowdown

In 2019, Cody Bellinger achieved his 100th career home run against Eric Lauer. He also became the youngest Dodger to record his 40th home run of the year. His production slowed down after the All-Star break, and he finished with 86 walks by September 5. During the NLDS, the Washington Nationals exploited his weaknesses.

2019: All-Star Selection and MVP Frontrunner

In 2019, Cody Bellinger became a frontrunner for the NL MVP Award, alongside Christian Yelich, leading in several stats. He received his second All-Star game nod and his first All-Star start, playing alongside Yelich and Ronald Acuña Jr. in the NL outfield. He declined an invitation to the Home Run Derby.