Cody Bellinger already delivering for the Los Angeles Dodgers
By Keaton Moore
Since calling up top prospect Cody Bellinger, the Los Angeles Dodgers are showing signs of working their way back atop the NL West.
As the Los Angeles Dodgers gradually work their way through the ranks of the NL West, they can thank their recent 8-2 run in part to promising prospect Cody Bellinger. The strength of his swing and versatility on the field are already impacting the Dodgers in his short time in the major leagues.
Following his fourth round selection by the Dodgers in the 2013 MLB draft, Bellinger quickly made a name for himself as one of the top prospects in baseball.
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Baseball America named Bellinger the No. 54 prospect in baseball after he hit 30 home runs while batting .264 in Class A Rancho Cucamonga. From there, he split time with Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City before making his major league debut on April 25.
Initially, the Dodgers drafted Bellinger as a first baseman, but with Adrian Gonzalez firmly placed at that position, he transitioned to second base and spent some time in left field as another option. Needless to say, they are working hard to make room on the field so Bellinger can be in the lineup.
And thus far, his bat is delivering on their faith.
He won the hearts of Dodger fans with his first career hit against the San Francisco Giants. After going 0-7 in his next two games, his bat came alive and is hitting .357 with 14 RBI and five home runs, including a grand slam against the San Diego Padres on May 6.
Despite the small sample size, Bellinger is showing signs of success against left-handed pitching that plagues many on the Dodgers. Since his debut, he is batting .333 against left-handers and showed similar numbers in the minor leagues.
He batted .245 against left-handed pitching in Tulsa, and the following season batted .284 with eight home runs against the same.
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Furthermore, his call-up came in part to take the place of the struggling Chase Utley. On the year, Utley is 6-50 with just one RBI and 11 strikeouts in 23 games. Now, Bellinger resumed his former position with Gonzalez sidelined with a herniated disk and stiffness in his right forearm.