Cody Bellinger Back to the Cubs? Hopes Reignite as Top Prospect Lauds Star Outfielder

In baseball, free agency is often a twisted game of musical chairs. And the 2023 Comeback Player of the Year winner, Cody Bellinger, is seemingly the last star player without a seat. As whispers of Spring Training fill the air, the baseball world waits: with Bellinger still seeking a new home, will a Chicago Cubs jersey await him at his locker?

If his teammates have any say in the matter, it seems Bellinger may be back in the Windy City sooner than we think. Let’s start with one of the biggest rising stars in Cubs blue: phenom Pete Crow-Armstrong.

Support starts at the top, and Cody Bellinger couldn’t have been a better example

PCA, the Cubs’ top outfield prospect, isn’t afraid of competition, and in a recent interview with Marquee Sports Network, he had this to say about Bellinger: “I love Cody. That’s my friend… If Cody comes back, that’s great; that gives us a better chance to win.”

Crow-Armstrong’s enthusiasm for the potential return of Bellinger details the positive influence on the young team the veteran had. Their relationship goes deeper than just fighting for the same playing time. And the pros agree that Bellinger’s value in the clubhouse extends beyond just statistics. Veteran Cubbies Ian Happ and Nico Hoerner offer resounding endorsements of Cody Bellinger by several market reports. Hoerner emphasized his value during an interview with Cubs.com, stating, “He’s been everything you could ask for from a teammate… I’d love to have him here — that’d be amazing.”

Ian Happ echoes that sentiment. “There’s nothing wrong with that [waiting],” Happ told ESPN, referring to Bellinger’s prolonged free agency. “That’s the way the market shaped up this year… and that’s the way they’ve chosen to do it.” Happ acknowledges that Bellinger’s talent holds high value in the league. Is a Cody-Cubs reunion truly on the horizon?

Watch This Story: Who Are The Top 5 Prospects Entering The 2024 Season?

The wait goes on…

Signing Bellinger could indeed shake up the Cubs’ existing outfield. Yet, prospect Crow-Armstrong is clearly willing to embrace that scenario. After a bounce-back year in Chicago, a Bellinger return might seem like a risk; Forbes points out it would be far from an obvious immediate fit. Then again, as Bleacher Nation argues, Bellinger was integral to the team’s culture—an intangible “plus” that Hoerner highlights directly. Perhaps a team confident in its young core may consider Cody Love’s value well beyond a simple numbers game.

Read More: Cody Bellinger in Free Agency Trouble? Star Outfielder’s Market Shrinks as Scott Boras Awaits Best Deal

In baseball, anything is possible; just ask Cody Bellinger. While nothing is certain as Spring Training nears, enthusiastic support from top prospects and key Cubs players points toward a potential return to Chicago.

This free-agency drama has an extra dose of intrigue. If a deal is struck, the Cubbies may get their man while sending a powerful message that they care as much about the camaraderie in the clubhouse as the results on the field.