Dodgers Rumors: Impact Call-Ups that can Stop the Dodgers Dry Spell
By Evan Lovett
Cody Bellinger.
The athletic first baseman/outfielder is performing with aplomb for AAA Oklahoma City. The 21-year old sports a 1.087 OPS as his five home runs in only 59 at-bats place him third in the Pacific Coast League in round trippers. Though Bellinger is seeing most of his time at first base, Adrian Gonzalez is comfortably in the middle of the lineup in Chavez Ravine and would impede any opportunity for Bellinger in the short term.
The fungible pieces in the outfield could portend Bellinger’s quickest route to the big leagues. In Spring Training, Bellinger saw significant time in left, center and right field. He played well, as the outfield is his original and most natural position. With Scott Van Slyke underperforming and Andrew Toles, Yasiel Puig and Joc Pederson each hitting under .260, it may be time to give Bellinger more fly balls in AAA so he can continue to rake when he is called up.
Once Bellinger starts hitting, he has proven that he’s difficult to stop. The big leagues is an elite challenge, but based on some of the monster mashes he deposited in Spring Training, it looks like a challenge at which he is likely to succeed.