"Who needs Ohtani when you have him" - Braves fans cheer on infielder Charlie Culberson's decision to revamp his career as a pitcher
While he has not been awarded any honors over his career, Charlie Culberson has represented a brand of consistency that many teams have valued. Now, Culberson has wants to shift his utility dramatically.
Selected in the first round of the 2007 draft by the Giants, Culberson has spent his eleven MLB seasons primarly as a pinch hitter, third baseman and left fielder. However, according to some new knowledge, Culberson, who now plays on the Braves, wants to try his hand at pitching.
"Veteran MLB infielder Charlie Culberson is trying to fashion a second career as reliever. Will go to Braves minors camp as pitcher. Lifetime 1.23 ERA in 7 1/3 IP in past mopup spots. Scouting report: “Great guy, Super athletic, Throws strikes and has arm strength … Has a shot.”" - Jon Heyman
Per indications from MLB insider Jon Heyman, Culberson has decided to become a reliever. As such, he will report to the Atlanta Braves' minor league training camp as a pitcher. Although the Braves seem to be sorted when it comes to their throwing corps, fans are cheering on Charlie Culberson's decision.
To date, Culberson has only thrown seven and one third innings over the course of his career, all coming in blowout contests. However, his throwing arm in both the infield and outfield have been the subject of praise over his career. Fans evidently seem to think that the 34-year old has a shot at switching things up.
After beginning his career with the Giants, Culberson joined the Colorado Rockies in 2013. However, a disc in his back sidelined him for all of the 2015 season, before opting to go to the Dodgers for 2016. In 2018, Culberson joined the Braves, hitting .270/.326/.466 with 12 home runs and 45 RBIs in the best season of his career.
After spending the 2021 and 2022 seasons with the Texas Rangers, Culberson came back to the Braves for 2023. However, unable to break back into the MLB swing, Charlie Culberson spent the vast majority of last season on Triple-A Gwinnett, appearing in just one MLB game. Perhaps as a pitcher, the Georgia-native may be able to return to MLB normality.
It still isn't too late for Charlie Culberson
While he is certainly no rookie, Culberson has spent more than a decade in MLB, studying pitches and pitchers. As such, the possesses the knowledge of how pitching at the elite level works.
With the right guidance and training, Braves fans may be able to look forward to Culberson in their bullpen next season, even if there prospects there are looking good already.