Cody Bellinger Fantasy Outlook: When should you draft Cubs star in 2024 following recent extension? 

It may have taken all offseason, but former National League MVP Cody Bellinger has finally signed a new contract for the 2024 season. The hard-hitting outfielder and first baseman is set to return to the Chicago Cubs after the two parties agreed terms on a three-year, $80 million deal.

After months of rumors linking Bellinger to many teams, the two-time All-Star will return to the same club, where he delivered his best season in years. The versatile veteran is coming off a 2023 campaign that saw him bounce back in a meaningful way.

"This is obviously a good move, and puts the Cubs in a position to really do some damage in that [NL] Central." - @AlexAvilaMLB on Cody Bellinger #MLBNHotStove | @adnansvirk" - @MLBNetwork

After betting on himself by signing a one-year deal with the Chicago Cubs, Bellinger rewarded them with one of the best seasons of his career. In 130 games, Bellinger posted a .307 batting average with 26 home runs, 97 RBIs and 20 stolen bases.

This level of success not only saw Cody Bellinger enjoy success in the MLB but also turned into a true fantasy baseball stud for managers who gambled on him. After his tremendous 2023 campaign, the former Los Angeles Dodgers slugger should see a jump in his fantasy baseball rankings, but how early is too early to draft him?

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Cody Bellinger is worthy of a 5th-round pick in 2024 fantasy baseball drafts

The fact that Bellinger has rejoined the Chicago Cubs could pay off handsomely for the All-Star, given his successful 2023 season. The Cubs are looking to return to the postseason, and Bellinger will look to play a pivotal role, which will benefit him from a fantasy standpoint.

The Chicago Cubs might be one of the most underrated lineups entering the new season, thanks to the likes of Seiya Suzuki, Dansby Swanson, Christopher Morel, and many rising young prospects. The fact that Bellinger will be surrounded by these players adds to his intrigue this fantasy season.

"This seems like critical information to me, regarding Cody Bellinger's underlying metrics in 2023. It appears that he significantly altered his swing on 2-strike counts, which dragged down his overall metrics but boosted his real production numbers. I'm diggin' Belly in 2024." - @DocHollidayDyna

Nevertheless, there are some underlying numbers from Cody Bellinger's 2023 season that have managers and experts concerned about whether he will be able to perform at the same level.

Bellinger posted a wOBA that was nearly 40 points higher than his xwOBA, which suggests that the former NL MVP greatly overperformed his expected numbers. Drafts with caution.