Charlie Culberson made a name for himself in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization in the last home game of the 2016 season when he hit a walk-off home run in extra innings against the Colorado Rockies to clinch the National League West in what was Vin Scully’s last game at Dodger Stadium.
But before the 2017 season, Culberson was outrighted to the minors and removed from the 40-man roster, so he spent the 2017 season with Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he hit .250/.299/.336 with four home runs and 32 RBIs in 104 games.
At the conclusion of the Triple-A season, the 28-year-old utilityman became a September call-up of the Dodgers to provide depth off the bench.
In 11 games he went just 2-for-13 (.154 batting average) with two walks and an RBIs. It looked as if his season was over when he was left off the NL Division Series roster.
But a back injury to shortstop Corey Seager causing him to miss the NL Championship Series against the Chicago Cubs, opening a roster spot for Culberson, who made the most of his opportunity.
Culberson went 5-for-11 (.455 batting average) with two doubles and a triple against the Cubs, while also playing flawless shortstop, becoming one of the unsung heroes of the series and a big part of why the Dodgers advanced to their first World Series since 1988.
Despite Seager returning for the World Series, Culberson’s play in the NLCS earned himself a spot on the World Series roster, and again he continued to play at a high level, recording three hits in five at-bats, including a big extra-inning home run in Game 2 against the Houston Astros that brought the Dodgers within one run, although they still ended up losing the game.
2017 Highlight:
Every kid growing up dreams of playing in the World Series and hitting a home run, and Culberson, a guy who has been through so much on a baseball field since being drafted in 2007, got to live out that dream in Game 2 against the Astros.
With his team trailing 7-5 in the 11th inning, Culberson came up with his team down to its final out and no one on base. He launched the second pitch he saw from Chris Devenski into the left field bleachers, and he proceeded to do something he rarely does on the field: show emotion.
The home run didn’t tie the game and the Dodgers went on to lose 7-6, but it was easy to see how special that moment was to Culberson as he pointed to his family in the stands after crossing home plate.
2018 Outlook:
Culberson currently holds a spot on the 40-man roster, which could change at some point this offseason. But if it doesn’t then he will again provide the Dodgers depth in the 2018 season, spending time with both OKC and the Dodgers.
Depending on the moves the Dodgers make this offseason, Culberson will likely be battling for the utilityman spot on the big league roster this spring.
