Charlie Culberson

Charlie Culberson
Culberson with the Colorado Rockies
Los Angeles Dodgers – No. 6
Infielder
Born: April 10, 1989 Rome, Georgia
Bats: Right Throws: Right
MLB debut
May 13, 2012, for the San Francisco Giants
MLB statistics (through April 9, 2016)
Batting average	.222
Home runs	5
Runs batted in	38
Teams
San Francisco Giants (2012) Colorado Rockies (2013–2014) Los Angeles Dodgers (2016–present)

Charles Edward Culberson (born April 10, 1989) is an American professional baseball infielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has also played in MLB for the San Francisco Giants and Colorado Rockies.

Career

San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants drafted Culberson in the first round (51st overall) in the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft out of Calhoun High School in Calhoun, Georgia. They added him to the 40 man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft after the 2011 season, in which he batted .259 with 10 home runs and 56 runs batted in for the Richmond Flying Squirrels of the Double-A Eastern League.^[1] He was rated the seventh best second base prospect prior to the 2012 season.^[2]

After beginning the 2012 season with the Fresno Grizzlies of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, the Giants promoted Culberson to the big league club on May 13, 2012. He made his MLB debut that day^[3] and collected his first major league base hit against Arizona Diamondbacks starter Joe Saunders.^[4]

Colorado Rockies

Culberson with the Los Angeles Dodgers during spring training in 2016

On July 27, 2012, Culberson was traded to the Colorado Rockies for Marco Scutaro.^[5] He spent the rest of the 2012 season with the Colorado Springs Sky Sox, the Rockies' AAA affiliate, and continued to play for them in 2013. In 97 games for the Sky Sox, he hit .310/.338/.524 with 14 HR, 64 RBI and 8 3B.

On July 29, Culberson was recalled by the Rockies, replacing Jordan Pacheco.^[6] When Carlos González went on the disabled list, Culberson and Corey Dickerson entered a platoon situation in left field. On August 16, 2013, Culberson hit his first MLB home run off Wei-Yin Chen of the Baltimore Orioles. In 47 games with the Rockies, he hit .293/.317/.404 with 2 HR, 12 RBI and 5 SB.

On May 4, 2014, Culberson hit a pinch hit walk off two run homerun off New York Mets closer Kyle Farnsworth, giving the Rockies a 11-10 victory.

Culberson missed nearly the entire 2015 season with a back injury.^[7] After the season, he was granted free agency by the Rockies and signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Culberson was invited to spring training, where he impressed new Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.^[8] After an injury to Howie Kendrick opened a spot for him, he made the Dodgers Opening Day roster.^[9]

Personal

Culberson's father, Charles, was the Giants 16th pick in the 1984 draft and played in their minor league system for five seasons.^[3]

On August 15, 2015, he was inducted into the Calhoun-Gordon County Sports Hall of Fame.^[10]

References

1. "Angel Villalona among Giants' 40-man roster additions as Rule 5 Draft looms". San Francisco Giants. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
2. "Prospect Watch: Top 10 second basemen". Major League Baseball. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
3. "Culberson called up, makes Major League debut". San Francisco Giants. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
4. "San Francisco Giants take series against Arizona Diamondbacks with 7-3 win". May 13, 2012. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
5. "Colorado Rockies trade Marco Scutaro to San Francisco Giants for Charlie Culberson". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
6. "Rockies recall INF Charlie Culberson from Colorado Springs". Rockies Press Release. July 29, 2013.
7. Eric Stephen (November 21, 2015). "Dodgers sign Charlie Culberson to minor league deal". True Blue LA. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
8. "Los Angeles Dodgers back on track with a wild win of their own - Los Angeles - Dodgers Report- ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
9. McCullough, Andy (May 3, 2016). "Dodgers' Yasmani Grandal, Howie Kendrick to start season on disabled list". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 3, 2016.

External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
• Charlie Culberson on Twitter