No, this is not a drill. According to Jon Heyman of The New York Post, Charlie Culberson will go to Spring Training again with the Braves, but not as the utility piece that has made him so valuable in the past. He will attempt to revive his career as a pitcher.
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 (@JonHeyman) January 12, 2024
This is one of those scenarios that Braves fans have thrown around in conversations of the “could you imagine” variety.
Charlie Culberson has always been the kind of player to do whatever it takes to help the team win. He played good defense all over the diamond and could come off the bench ice cold to deliver a clutch hit. It’s one of the reasons he’s carved out an 11-year MLB career. However, in stints, when games were well out of hand, Braves fans were occasionally blessed with the opportunity to see Charlie Culberson pitch, leaving many wondering if he’s always been playing out of position.
For a position player, Culberson could hum in the mid-90s, and he even had some secondary stuff that wasn’t too shabby. It led to a 1.23 ERA over 7.1 career innings, and now he’s going to give pitching a full-time shot for real.
The Braves aren’t desperate for pitching help. They might have the deepest staff in the entire league, so it won’t be easy to carve out a role in Atlanta. But as they say, you can never have enough pitching. I’m giddy to see Charlie Culberson get some opportunities on the mound during Spring Training and see what he can do.
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Photographer: Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire
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