Following two seasons with the Chicago Cubs and eight in the National League, Bellinger found himself in a very different (but also familiar) environment after he was dealt to the New York Yankees in December of 2024. Bellinger’s dad, Clay, was a Yankee from 1999-2001, winning two World Series championships with the team before playing his final year of major-league ball with the Anaheim Angels in 2002. Aside from the familial connection though, Bellinger had played just three career games in the Bronx
out of 1,077 in his career.
Despite the new environment for him in 2025, Bellinger was arguably the Yankees’ best player outside of Aaron Judge. He came onto the scene and made an immediate impact in front of the fans at Yankee Stadium on Opening Day. Against the Milwaukee Brewers, he went 1-for-2 with a hit, an RBI, and a walk in four plate appearances.
Bellinger not only had a strong offensive output for the Yankees throughout the 2025 season, but his defense was the shining part of his game. He finished with some of the best defensive numbers in his entire career, rounding out his game more in his age-29 season, and Yankees fans hope he will continue his strong offensive output while also being a vacuum in the outfield in the 2026 season.
2025 statistics: 152 games, 656 plate appearances, .272/.334/.480, 29 HR, 98 RBI, 125 wRC+, 8.7 BB%, 13.7 K%, 12 Defensive Runs Saved, 6 Outs Above Average, 4.9 fWAR
2026 ZiPS DC projections: 147 games, 637 plate appearances, .264/.326/.448, 25 HR, 92 RBI, 114 wRC+, 8.3 BB%, 14.6 K%, 3.3 fWAR
Bellinger’s excellent season with the Yankees gave the team’s front office almost no other choice but to re-sign him moving forward. And, after there was initially a gap between the Yankees and Bellinger’s representation (Scott Boras), the two sides did agree on a five-year deal worth $162.5 million and no deferrals. Bellinger received a $20 million signing bonus, and he has the option to opt out after the second or third season. Lastly, he has a full no-trade clause in this contract.
There were some concerning aspects about the raw numbers that Bellinger put out over the course of last season. His average exit velocity, barrel rate, hard-hit rate, and bat speed were all below league average. He also chased his fair share of pitches. However, the good news is that despite those numbers not living up to what fans probably want to see from the second-best-performing player on the team, there are other signals that should offer optimism heading into 2026.
First, Bellinger did an excellent job of seeing pitches and knowing which ones he wanted. His strikeout rate was the lowest of his career and sat in the 91st percentile among all major leaguers according to Baseball Savant. In that same vein, while Bellinger may have chased a fair share of pitches through 2025, his whiff rate was one of the lowest in MLB as well. He finished the year with a total in the 81st percentile. Additionally, while the Yankees might be a lefty-heavy lineup, Bellinger actually thrived against same-handed pitching last year with a 1.016 OPS in 176 PA.
Bellinger’s defense was out-of-this-world good for the Yankees in 2025, and that’s a bright spot that needs to continue in the outfield if the Yankees want to remain in contention for the World Series. His Range (OAA) and Arm Value were both above the 90th percentile across MLB, and his overall fielding run value was in the 91st percentile. Among all outfielders, Bellinger finished 19th in OAA and was the second-highest finisher among all left fielders. He’s a huge boost over what Jasson Domínguez would’ve offered with the glove, and he has the flexibility to play center and first in a pinch as well, spelling Trent Grisham and Ben Rice.
So, despite some bumps along the way in his contract negotiations this offseason, the Yankees and Bellinger were finally able to make a deal that ensures the player is paid what he believes he’s worth and that the club gets a player who was invaluable to the team last season under manager Aaron Boone. Bellinger’s defense alone was worth spending the money, but combining that with the fact that he produced well on offense, is a former MVP and a World Series winner, there should be high hopes for him to stay in form heading into 2026.
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