1. Cody Bellinger, Los Angeles Dodgers, $19.568 million value; $605,000 salary
Calling Bellinger a right fielder is basically an accurate description, although he did start nearly 50 games at other positions. None of that movement hurt his offense.
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What ultimately became a winning MVP case was built on 84 extra base hits, 47 of them home runs, accounting for 115 RBIs and accompanied by 95 walks. He had a .629 slugging average, an eye-catching 1.035 OPS and a 169 OPS+.
When the WAR calculations came in, they pegged Bellinger’s season worth 9.0, and that alone amounted to $16.858 million in on-field value.
Superb hitters sometimes get overlooked for the defensive aspects of their game, but Bellinger’s 2019 performance ought not to be overlooked. He played 1,302 innings, the fourth best total at the position, worth $1.619 million. Over that period, he accumulated 10 right field assists, equaling Betts as the fourth best and valued at $1.09 million.
Bellinger is arbitration-eligible in 2020, and given his MVP award that means either a negotiated deal or a major salary boost. Projections put that award at upwards of $11 million. Even that would be a major bargain given the production Bellinger generated last season.
Here’s the bottom line: Bellinger was not only the National League’s Most Valuable Player in 2019, but at $19.568 million in on-field value he was literally the most valuable player in MLB.