Dodgers' Bellinger named NL Rookie of the Year

Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman/outfielder Cody Bellinger was unanimously named the National League’s Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year in voting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America following his breakout season.

Bellinger is the Dodgers’ 18th Rookie of the Year – the most of any MLB team – and becomes the second consecutive Dodger rookie to win the award, as teammate Corey Seager was named Rookie of the Year in 2016.  He becomes the 22nd player overall to win the award by unanimous vote and just the fourth Dodger, joining Mike Piazza (1993), Raul Mondesi (1994) and Seager (2016).

The 22-year-old was also honored with the Players Choice Award for Outstanding NL Rookie, and was recognized by the Sporting News as the publications’ National League Rookie of the Year.

Bellinger posted a .267/.352/.581 slashline with 87 runs, 26 doubles, four triples, 39 home runs, 97 RBI and 10 stolen bases in 132 games. His 39 longballs were the second most in the National League this season, behind only Giancarlo Stanton (59), and he also established a National League rookie home run record, surpassing previous record holders Wally Berger (1930) and Frank Robinson (1956), who each belted 38 homers.

Bellinger also recorded six multi-home run games, which according to Stats, LLC, were the most ever by a rookie in Dodger history and the third most all-time, trailing just Mark McGwire (1987) and AL Rookie of the Year winner Aaron Judge (2017), who each collected seven multi-homer contests. Including his record-breaking home run season, Bellinger also set Los Angeles (since 1958) single-season rookie records in slugging percentage (.581) and OPS (.933), while ranking among the all-time club rookie leaders in runs (4th), doubles, (T-4th), RBI (2nd), batting average (10th) and on-base percentage (4th).

Bellinger, who became the first position player in Dodger history to make the All-Star team in his first season in the Majors and the youngest position player to be honored as an All-Star in franchise history, was originally selected by the Dodgers in the fourth round of the 2013 First-Year Player Draft out of Hamilton High School in Arizona.

By Staff of TheDailySportsHerald.com and news services