December 13, 2019

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger broke many a fantasy owner’s heart after his 2018 sophomore slump, but they’re falling back in love with Bellinger after his 2019 MVP campaign. Bellinger set career-highs in just about every category, hitting .305 with a 1.035 OPS, 121 runs, 47 home runs, 115 RBI and 15 steals. Now after such a radical upswing in numbers from 2018 to 2019, it’s natural for owners to be skeptical about whether or not Bellinger can repeat those numbers in 2020. Fortunately, it appears that Bellinger’s performance was legit and he should be poised to put up similar numbers in 2020 thanks to a radically improved approach at the plate. Bellinger swung at fewer pitches outside of the zone (26.8 percent O-Swing rate) while swinging at more pitches in the zone (70.4 percent Z-Swing rate), and he made contact on a higher percentage of pitches in the zone (83.0 percent Z-Contact) while setting a career-best with just a 9.5 percent swinging strike rate. This led to career-best marks with a 14.4 percent walk rate and 16.4 percent strike rate, and his BABIP (.302) and HR/FB (24.6 percent) returned to numbers closer to his rookie campaign. Bottom line is Bellinger is a fantasy stud and a no-doubt first round pick in drafts this year. Owners should expect another 40+ homer, 100+ RBI season in 2020, with at least 10 steals and an average no lower than .285.--Michael