Yankees' 2026 fourth-rounder doesn't have to look further than Bellinger for inspiration
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Most young players rising through the ranks have some Major League inspiration guiding them. It just so happens that the player Paul Gutierrez-Contreras II emulates is an important cog in the organization the outfielder was drafted into.
The Yankees' 2026 fourth-round pick admitted he models his game after three-time All-Star Cody Bellinger in his Cal State Fullerton bio. Now Gutierrez-Contreras is in New York's farm system while the left-handed slugger recently returned to the Major League lineup after missing time with a hamstring strain.
While Bellinger has 237 pro homers, Gutierrez-Contreras started down his own path with the first of his career in Single-A Tampa's 8-3 win over Jupiter on Thursday at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.
In his first at-bat of the night, Gutierrez-Contreras launched a 1-2 pitch off right-hander Jake Clemente (Marlins) that left the yard at 99.9 mph. He also laced a 105 mph single to center off the Hammerheads starter in the third and plated a run with a sacrifice fly in the eighth.
Gutierrez-Contreras has gone 15-for-52 in his first 14 games with the Tarpons after slashing .308/.462/.500 with two homers over 90 games spanning two seasons with Cal State Fullerton. Prior to joining the Titans, he posted a 1.004 OPS in 40 games at Modesto Junior College.
With some pop in his profile, Gutierrez-Contreras can also steal a few bases and already has shown a quality plate approach with as many walks as strikeouts (eight) in pro ball.
Defensively, the 21-year-old has split time at the corner outfield spots so far in Tampa. Although Gutierrez-Contreras and his idol swing the bat from different sides of the plate, Bellinger is a fellow corner outfielder with pop and solid on-base potential. That's the kind of blueprint the California native will be looking to follow as he climbs through the system.
The Tampa lineup features several prospects on the rise. MLB’s No. 86 prospect Dax Kilby also homered Thursday night. The 2025 first-rounder swatted his third of the season after missing almost half the season with a right hamstring issue. The Yankees' No. 2 prospect sports an OPS of .878, 23 RBIs and 21 runs in 25 games while showing some discipline with as many walks as strikeouts (27) with the Tarpons.
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