Los Angeles Dodgers: Bold predictions for Cody Bellinger in 2019

3. Cody Bellinger plays Gold Glove-caliber defense in the outfield

Hand up, I am not a believer in Cody Bellinger in the outfield. It is not that I don’t think that Bellinger can be a good defensive outfielder, I just think he is much better at first base and there is a much smaller risk there.

In fact, a few weeks ago I looked at the defensive numbers and it because evident that, from a pure statistical standpoint, the Dodgers would be better defensively by putting Bellinger at first base and Max Muncy at second base.

Muncy does not pass the eye test at second base and Bellinger passes the eye test in the outfield, so that contradicts everything that people think.

I think that I would rather play Bellinger at first and Muncy at second because of the risk of injury for Bellinger in the outfield mixed with the poor defensive metrics from before. However, with Joc Pederson, Andrew Toles and Enrique Hernandez/Chris Taylor as the options to start in left, it might be better to try Bellinger in left and start Muncy at first.

Either way, I have a feeling that I am going to be proved wrong and Bellinger is going to prove the metrics wrong and play a Gold Glove-level defense in the outfield. Heck, he might even win the award.

He has speed, which in turn leads to nice range, has a nice arm (as evident from throwing Ian Kinsler out at home in the World Series) and has a knack for the big moment (see: sliding catch in the NLCS).

He seemingly has everything to be a great defensive outfielder and I am always the first to say that these pro ball players, so long as they are athletic, should be able to make the transition anywhere on the field with enough practice.

Bellinger is athletic enough where he could have been a shortstop or third baseman if he was right-handed. I think that athleticism will lead to surprisingly good defense in left field, as much as I don’t want to buy into that notion.