Charlie Culberson

How does a guy double his career home-run total from one season to the next out of nowhere? We can't look at year-over-year launch angle because Culberson had all of 80 at-bats over 2016 and 2017. Last season, Atlanta used him around the diamond and he was able to turn one of every five flyballs into a home run. One thing he did do was try to pull pitches at a higher rate and it worked in 2018. We saw a similar season out of Sean Rodriguez in 2016 when he hit 18 homers in part-time duty out of nowhere. Rodriguez has hit 10 since that surprise season while Culberson will be lucky to hit that many for the rest of his career. Last season was fun but there is very little to point to it being repeatable. Let the Braves homer in your league believe while you move on to an option that has upside.

Culberson hit more homers in the postseason than he did in the regular season in 2017. Sure, he had a total of 33 plate appearances, but that one World Series homer was about as improbable as it gets and why baseball is beautiful. What is not beautiful is the thought of having to roster Atlanta's newest version of Rafael Belliard. His World Series blast aside, Culberson hasn't hit for any power since leaving the comforts of the California and Pacific Coast leagues and he does not run much either. With Adonis Garcia now headed overseas, Culberson could stick around as a utility knife, seeing occasional starts around the infield when a regular needs the day off.

Culberson spent the 2016 season alternating between the majors and Triple-A Oklahoma City, occupying a depth role behind Corey Seager at shortstop while occasionally starting at second base against left-handed starters. His .313/.327/.417 line against southpaws was acceptable, but didn't do much to help a lineup that was last in the majors in OPS against left-handers. It did come in handy at least once though, when he hit a walk-off homer against Rockies lefty Boone Logan during the Dodgers' last home game of the season, ending Vin Scully's career at Chavez Ravine on an ideal note. Emotions notwithstanding, it's unlikely Culberson will see regular playing time in the 2017 season considering his .474 OPS against righties and Seager's presence at shortstop, not to mention the fact that he's no longer on the 40-man roster after being outrighted in December.

Aside from a brief demotion to Triple-A in April, Culberson stuck with the Rockies in a utility role for the entirety of the 2014 season, logging at least 20 games of action at every infield position but first base. He didn’t offer anything more than passable defense anywhere and was utterly atrocious at the plate, where he slashed .195/.253/.290 while striking out over five times for every walk he drew in 233 plate appearances. Other than providing a warm body for the Rockies when Troy Tulowitzki and Nolan Arendo missed significant chunks of action with injuries, the 25-year-old did little to make a case for sticking around with the parent club as long as he did. As a result, Culberson could find himself on the outside looking in for a backup infield job in spring training, especially after the late-September hitting surge of Rafael Ynoa, who already owned the better glove of the two players.

Culberson produced strong numbers in a repeat season at the Triple-A level, batting .310 with 14 homers and 13 steals for Colorado Springs before earning a second-half promotion. An infielder by trade, Culberson saw the majority of his time with the Rockies in the outfield. He continued to hit well in the majors while chipping in the occasional homer and stolen base, but his porous walk rate (3.7%) deflated his OBP and has been a consistent problem for him throughout his career. That deficiency in his game may forever confine him to a jack-of-all-trades role at the major league level, but Culberson should offer enough speed and defensive malleability to thrive in that capacity. His ability to play the outfield may give him the upper hand to win an Opening Day roster spot over the team's other utility types.

Culberson was acquired in a midseason trade from the Giants for Marco Scutaro and made a good impression upon arrival at Triple-A Colorado Springs, batting .336 while displaying moderate power and speed. For all his strengths, Culberson boasts a career minor league OBP of .311 and a strikeout rate approaching 20 percent, indications that he is not quite ready for the majors. Furthermore, while Culberson does have experience at three infield positions, he is viewed as below adequate defensively at any position besides second base, which could damage his chances of latching on in a utility role over the sure-handed D.J. LeMahieu.

Culberson hit .292 with 16 homers over 503 at-bats in High-A San Jose last season, and while his 33:99 BB:K ratio wasn't impressive, and the California League is conducive for hitting, it was still a solid line for a 21-year-old. Since he also added 25 stolen bases, he's on the radar in keeper fantasy leagues, but he's still quite a bit away from contributing at the big league level.