November 10th, 2016 at 6:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka It’s probably safe to say that a year ago not too many Dodger fans even knew who Cody Bellinger was. Yet today, it’s probably even safer to say that there are very few – if any – who do not.
By every indication, the now 21-year-old Chandler, Arizona native is the heir apparent to become the Dodgers everyday first baseman when 34-year-old veteran first baseman Adrian Gonzalez‘s seven-year / $154 million contract expires after the 2018 season.
Cody, the 6’-4″ / 210-pound son of former New York Yankees and Anaheim Angels utility infielder / outfielder Clay Bellinger, was selected by the Dodgers in the fourth round of the 2013 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of Hamilton High School in Chandler, Arizona and has rocketed his way through the Dodgers minor league system. In fact, there is a very good chance that he will be playing under the lights at Dodger Stadium as early as September of 2017 – or sooner. Cody is currently playing in the prestigious Arizona Fall League for the Glendale Desert Dogs where he is flat out raking.
Cody Bellinger absolutely crushed this two-run home run during last week’s Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game. The Dodgers top-ranked prospect and heir apparent to Adrian Gonzalez will undoubtedly receive his second invitation to major league spring training camp in February.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
But wait, there’s more!
Through the wonderful world of Twitter it was learned that not only are Clay and Jennifer Bellinger the proud parents of soon-to-be Dodger Cody Bellinger, they have another son who plays baseball – 17-year-old Cole Bellinger who, on Wednesday, tweeted out that he had signed to play baseball at Grand Canyon University – a Division-1 school located in Phoenix.
(Courtesy of @colebell24)
While not much is known about the younger Bellinger (yet), he is listed as a pitcher / infielder on the Hamilton High School website. According to the site, the Hamilton Huskies are five-time Arizona State Champions (2003, 2004, 2008, 2014 and 2016) and three-time State runners-up (2005, 2009 and 2011). And even though Cole was not drafted out of high school as was his older brother Cody, you can bet that scouts – hopefully Dodgers scouts – will be keeping a close eye on him in his freshman year at GCU. And who knows … maybe there will even be another draft party at the Bellinger residence in the near future.
Hamilton High School’s Cole Bellinger with the 2016 Arizona State Championship trophy.
(Photo courtesy of @colebell24)
The best of luck to you Cole!
Posted in 
@colebell24 @Cody_Bellinger ?
IF he plays for a Div I college doesn’t he have to wait until the June draft following his junior year?
Not sure how that works. Harold would probably know. I always though that you could be drafted at any time once you completed high school, but I can see where signing with a college would be considered a contract.
had to look this up:
Certain groups of players are ineligible for selection, generally because they are still in school. The basic categories of players eligible to be drafted are:
High school players, if they have graduated from high school and have not yet attended college or junior college;
College players, from four-year colleges who have either completed their junior or senior years or are at least 21 years old; and
Junior college players, regardless of how many years of school they have completed
I don’t think signing with the college is the issue, it is if the young man attends first day of classes. After that he can leave the college and go to a JC where he can be drafted any time.
Hello SoCal! Great if another Bellinger can be signed eventually shold stars be aligned that way. Let’s get Cody up here when it’s time and see what he can do. he appears to handle LHP well enough so far and as you know is the issue with this club. FO should of course address this because teams will continue to throw as many LHP at us until Dodgers show they are no longer at the bottom of MLB against them.
Once a player attends a four year school, the clock begins. As you stated, once they attend class, a player must play only for that school during that academic year. They may leave a four year school to attend a JC for their sophomore year, and can then be drafted in the June amateur draft following their sophomore season, or sign a letter of intent with another 4 year school. Once they attend class during their junior year, they cannot be signed until the next June amateur draft.
Perhaps the player I remember the most who took total advantage was Barry Zito. He was drafted out of high school but did not sign. He attended UCSB where he became a Freshman All-American. He left UCSB to attend a JC (LA Pierce College) as a Sophomore (All-State). He was drafted in the third round, but decided to attend USC as a junior. After his junior year he was selected in the first round by the A’s.
I know several young men who signed with 4 year schools only to leave after their freshman year to attend JC and then get drafted; including family fried Jack Cassell who went to Loyola and left to go to Pierce as a Sophomore where he was drafted in the 25th round, and played sparingly in the ML.
It is my understanding that Cole Bellinger is a high school senior and could still be drafted in June and sign before he attends Grand Canyon University. I know that he is highly regarded, I just do not know how that may translate into a draft position.
Go Cody Bellinger! It appears the quality of prospect in the Dodgers organization is becoming more solid with each passing year. It’s been said that when a team surrounds themselves with the best of the best prospects, they consistently end up with a “pipeline” of plug-and-play players ready to make an impact.
If I could change one thing however, I would prefer that there wasn’t so much of an emphasis on the platoon player system in this day and age. How in the world is a guy supposed to get “better” against a weakness if he’s never allowed to compete against it? If you have a solid player, he will figure out a way to get it done.
Exactly Cruzin Blue! I am not for platooning the way Dodgers did last year but it was because of a weakness against LHP. That platooning did no good anyway because our run production came mostly from the left side and the RH bats with the exception of Turner were only bench/role players. Most of our LH bats struggled against LHP and the 1 RH impact hitter we had in Turner could not hit lefties either. That being said, so far in minors at least, Cody B. has shown he can handle LHP as a LH batter. Notice that BOMB he hit in AFL ASG that went over 430 FT. OFF A LHP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’ve argued for a long time against platooning, for the reason pointed out by CruzinBlue.
Regarding Cody: He needs to fix his swing before he’s ready for the show. Otherwise he’ll be another Joc.