Back in December, the New York Yankees traded for Chicago Cubs outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger. This offseason has been hectic for a team that made it to the World Series, as Juan Soto left for the New York Mets. However, the Yankees have acquired Bellinger, along with Max Fried and Paul Goldschmidt, in his wake in free agency and through trades. With plenty of other moves to note, how will that impact Cody Bellinger and his fantasy outlook for 2025?
Cody Bellinger 2024 Production
The 29-year-old has been a versatile player for the Dodgers and Cubs in the past. Now, with the Yankees this year, Bellinger could be a valuable asset in the middle rounds. In fantasy baseball, where one guy could plug in at multiple spots, this is especially important, as he can fill in with his dual eligibility and has value as a designated hitter. On Fantasy Pros, they note he will likely start as the Yankees’ centerfielder with eligibility for three other positions.
The lefty will hit behind superstar Aaron Judge but will have plenty of opportunities at RBI chances. Bellinger, who is in a contract year with a player option on his deal next year, is looking to improve his numbers on a better team. Health has also been a factor, as he suffered finger and rib injuries but still played 130 games out of 162 last season for the Cubs. Last year, he was the 80th-ranked overall player for fantasy baseball with 1039 total points.
Cody Bellinger 2025 Projection
For 2025, Bellinger has the potential to raise his stock with where he is being drafted. This is due to the balance of his profile as a power hitter and at-bat ratio. In 2024, he had 516 at-bats, 72 runs, and 137 hits. Although week-to-week consistency is lacking, the upside is there for a mid-round dart throw with more talent around him if he can stay healthy this year. With the Dodgers back in 2019, Bellinger had his career high in fantasy points with 1665, which would be top five numbers in 2024.
This season, he is the 10th ranked first baseman, 28th ranked outfielder, and 19th ranked designated hitter as the 106th overall player according to Fantasy Pros. With his stock at the lowest mark of his career after his breakout campaign in 2019, Bellinger did improve his strikeout rate and walk rate to the league average in the last two seasons despite injuries. In 2023, the veteran suffered a knee injury in his first year with Chicago.
Final Thoughts
Cody Bellinger could be a bounce-back candidate and be great value for MLB redraft fantasy drafts. With the Yankees from the Cubs, this was a solid landing spot for a veteran who needs some opportunity on a playoff-level team. He’s no Shohei Ohtani or Bobby Witt Jr., but Bellinger has had high-level success in the league and can if he stays healthy.
With Spring Training coming up in about a month, stay tuned for more MLB redraft fantasy outlooks from Total Apex Fantasy. With the NFL season coming to a close with the Super Bowl just a week away, we have daily NBA slates for DFS, along with game-specific daily fantasy previews. The 2025 MLB season is just around the corner and a few massive moves this offseason like Soto and Bellinger, make fantasy baseball way more interesting.
