Cody Bellinger the talk of the town at Cubs Convention

Sitting on stage among a panel of hitters Saturday at the Cubs Convention, the team’s All-Star and Gold Glove shortstop, Dansby Swanson, didn’t mince words when asked for his thoughts going into next season.

“Before we get to next year, we gotta re-sign Belli. That’s all I’m gonna say,” Swanson said, eliciting a roar from the large crowd in the main ballroom at the Sheraton Grand Chicago.

It’s funny that one of the players getting the most buzz at the Cubs’ annual fan convention isn’t even on the team. But that’s what happened, as Swanson joined the chorus of fans and even players advocating for a reunion between the Cubs and Cody Bellinger.

Despite a September collapse that saw them just miss out on their first playoff appearance in a 162-game season since 2018, the 2023 Cubs played like one of the best teams in baseball for the better part of the summer, clawing their way back from 10 games under .500 to postseason contention.

One of the biggest catalysts in that climb was Bellinger. Fresh off getting non-tendered by the Dodgers, the former National League MVP signed a one-year pillow contract with the Cubs.

He hoped for a bounce-back campaign to re-establish his value on the free-agent market — and he did just that. Despite missing a month in the first half due to a knee injury, Bellinger was worth 4.1 Wins Above Replacement (FanGraphs) and posted a .307/.356/.525/134 wRC+ slash line. That, combined with stellar defense in center field and at first base, earned him a 10th-place finish in NL MVP voting.

And that’s just the on-the-field stuff. Ask anyone in the organization, and his personality and leadership in the locker room proved equally as valuable to a team still looking to break out after a couple of rebuilding years.

“It’s really hard to describe [Bellinger’s impact], because everybody saw what he did on the field and it was obviously magnificent what he was able to do,” Justin Steele said, “but the teammate and the person behind the player is by far the best attribute he has. The guy showed up in the locker room every day with a smile on his face, good vibes. Everybody wanted to show up and talk to him that day. For me, that’s something that goes such a long way.”

“We all love Cody,” Ian Happ said. “We all love him as a person and really enjoyed playing with him.”

“He was so amazing for us last year and such a good teammate all around,” Kyle Hendricks said. “He’s obviously a guy you would love to play with any time.”

That even goes for those whose own opportunities could be impacted by Bellinger’s return.

Pete Crow-Armstrong, the Cubs’ No. 1 prospect who appeared in 13 games in September, is hoping to start the season as the Opening Day center fielder. If Bellinger does come back, there’s certainly a chance he mans that spot to start the year.

But Crow-Armstrong made it clear that’s not a big concern for him. The soon-to-be 22-year-old just wants the Cubs to win.

“I want him to come back,” Crow-Armstrong said. “I just like him as a human being and as a teammate. I’m here to win, and if Cody Bellinger is gonna do that and help us make that happen, then he should be here. That’s how I feel.”

As expected, the front office is staying tight-lipped on any conversations the two sides have had this offseason.

Both to the fans at the convention and to media members pestering them with questions, president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer and general manager Carter Hawkins continued to sing Bellinger’s praises from their experience with him in 2023 while offering little about their current pursuit.

Hoyer did say “we’d love to bring him back” at his end-of-season presser in October, but obviously, no deal has happened yet.

Perhaps part of that comes from the risk-reward factor in such a deal. Bellinger is represented by agent Scott Boras, who isn’t against playing the long game to get his clients the best deals. Various reports have thrown out pretty large numbers from Bellinger’s side, numbers all 30 teams have been unwilling to pay thus far.

Despite his clearly high ceiling, Bellinger does come with some question marks. He turns 29 in July, so a long-term contract would extend past his prime. He’s only a year removed from getting non-tendered after two poor seasons with the Dodgers. Teams have concerns with some of his underlying numbers.

And this front office is always looking for ways to maximize rewards and minimize risks (as good offices should). Giving Bellinger a long-term, big-money deal could absolutely pay off, but a great year in 2023 doesn’t mean the risk going forward isn’t real. Depending on Boras’ asking price, this isn’t a no-brainer.

“It’s always a challenge, especially when deals get long,” Hoyer said, speaking in a general sense and not about Bellinger, specifically. “A lot of players can help you right now, but if you’re talking about a deal that goes way past their prime, you have to factor that into the transaction. So I think it’s always a balance.

“I want to win this year and I want to focus on 2024, but I also think that we have a bright future. I’m not gonna make a series of moves that I feel like are only ’24 based. So, you’re always balancing that out. I think that’s the job is balancing that and trying to run an organization that can be sustainable.”

Still, Bellinger has been considered one of the top hitters on the market for a reason. He’s a left-handed bat with proven slugging ability, so he’d fit seamlessly back into the middle of the Cubs’ lineup.

His former teammates have been in touch with him, but nobody is putting any pressure on him as he goes through the process. Swanson said they “text here and there.” Steele said they’ve just had “football and Fortnite talk.”

They’re letting him go through the process at his own pace, just as the front office has. Hoyer isn’t setting any sort of deadline. If he signs next week, great. If it goes into spring training, that shouldn’t be a big issue.

The Cubs could clearly use Bellinger’s talent, and as long as the sides can agree on terms, they’d welcome him back with open arms.

“He’s obviously an awesome player,” Swanson said. “We’d love to have him back. I think that that’s about as clear as day, so hopefully we can make that happen.”