MLB Scouts Say Cubs' Star Would Age Well With Mega-Deal
The biggest storyline surrounding the Chicago Cubs this offseason is if they'll be able to re-sign their star outfielder Cody Bellinger.
At this time, it's clear that he is going to be offered a huge contract by teams on the open market.
The Cubs need to figure out if they're comfortable matching these types of offers that he'll receive.
Under the leadership of Jed Hoyer, Chicago has been reluctant to offer contracts of over 10 years and over $200 million that Bellinger likely will receive.
Much of their philosophy about avoiding these is based on the reality that players perform poorly on the back-end of mega-deals and hurt the organization's future roster construction.
Current MLB scouts don't think that would apply to Bellinger though.
"The first thing I look at with how a player is going to age is the body and athleticism. Simply put, how much life is left in the body? He’s tall, lean, trim, loose, incredibly athletic and he still moves very, very well. From a longevity standpoint, he’s as good a bet as anyone to age well athletically," one scout told Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic.
That's a good sign if the Cubs decide to enter these uncharted territories.
Another scout said, "One of the better athletes in MLB. Even if he’s not running as well or only able to play right field, he’s still going to be good out there. I wouldn’t think it’s just going to totally crater."
Bellinger rotated between his outfield role and at first base, where he played defense at an above average level.
He could move to first full-time when his athleticism eventually takes a dip and would not hurt Chicago defensively.
Prior to his resurgent offensive year with the Cubs, the former NL MVP struggled his last three years with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Another concern this front office would have is if his 2023 performance was just a blip or if it can be sustainable.
"I don’t want to ignore the previous three years where he’s not good," a scout told Sharma. "But after a certain point, you have to see what he’s doing and accept that this is a 28-year-old who is back to doing the elite s— that he used to do and just absolutely dominating. I’d expect the first few years of a long-term deal to be pretty good. After that, it’s anyone’s guess."
The guessing part is what Hoyer and Chicago don't want to be involved with.
That's why they have been reluctant to give out these massive contracts.
Maybe they view Bellinger as an exception to this philosophy and are comfortable enough with what he's done to make sure he stays with the Cubs for the long-term future.
