Cody Bellinger’s journey to the New York Yankees is not just a personal achievement but a continuation of a family legacy. Growing up, he was no stranger to the game, having been introduced to baseball through his father, Clay Bellinger, who played for the Yankees from 1999 to 2001. Recently, Bellinger recalled a memorable moment from his childhood when he was in the Yankees’ clubhouse. While practicing his swing, he was approached by Yankees legend Derek Jeter, who humorously remarked, “Man, you don’t swing like your dad.” This playful comment from Jeter highlighted the differences in the swings of father and son—while Clay Bellinger had a brief MLB career, Cody has gone on to hit 196 home runs, a testament to his much more prolific career.
Now, at 29 years old, Cody is following in his father’s footsteps by joining the Yankees, making him part of a rare father-son legacy in the team’s history. The Yankees have had only four father-son duos in their long history: Hall of Famer Yogi Berra and his son Dale, Ron and Ike Davis, Mark and Mark Leiter, and now Clay and Cody Bellinger. While Clay’s career was brief, with two World Series rings to his name, Cody’s career has been much more decorated, with an NL MVP award and a World Series title with the Dodgers.
Cody’s addition to the Yankees makes the Bellinger family part of the exclusive club of families who have both father and son play for the iconic team, further cementing their place in the history of baseball.
