Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Cody Bellinger can add another honor to his trophy case for his outstanding rookie season, as he was named the 2017 Sportsman of the Year by the Los Angeles Sports Council.
Bellinger becomes the second Dodgers player to win the Sportsman award, joining teammate Clayton Kershaw, who won it twice in 2011 and 2014.
Winning this award is not something that even Bellinger could have envisioned at the beginning of the 2017 season, as he began the year with Triple-A Oklahoma City and was not expected to be called up until September.
But due to injuries, he wound up making his Major League debut on April 25, and he quickly took the league by storm. Bellinger hit 24 home runs in his first 57 career games, becoming the fastest player to in MLB history to reach that milestone.
Overall on the season, he hit .267/.352/.581 with a National League rookie record 39 home runs to go along with 97 RBIs and 87 runs scored. He was named to the NL All-Star team, competed in the Home Run Derby and was named the Dodgers second consecutive NL Rookie of the Year.
Bellinger helped lead the Dodgers to their first World Series since 1988, and although he did not swing the bat well in the loss to the Houston Astros, he still hit three home runs and drove in nine runs in 15 postseason games.
Bellinger will be honored at the 13th Annual LA Sports Awards on Tuesday, Feb. 6, at The Beverly Hilton. The LA Sports Awards are presented annually by the Sports Council to celebrate the greatest moments of the year in sports in the Los Angeles/Orange County area.
The ceremony will also feature the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement award to Los Angeles Kings legendary announcer Bob Miller in addition to many other awards and honors that will be handed out on the night.
