Tim Locastro makes an intriguing case for Padres roster
Credit: MLB
The San Diego Padres are at the heart of Spring Training, and the roster still has holes to fill and questions to be answered. Based on how well some of the players play in the final weeks of ST, we may see them make the Opening Day roster.
On February 28, veteran outfielder Tim Locastro signed a minor league contract with the Friars after a stint with the New York Mets last season.
Locastro has played most of his time in the majors with the Arizona Diamondbacks. A majority of his success came in Arizona. The 31-year-old is still one of the fastest players in the majors and could be a valuable bench piece for the Padres this season.
So far this spring, Locastro has had seven hits with a batting average of .833. He adds four RBIs, three doubles, one stolen base, and four runs scored.
Say hello to Timmy Lo 👋 pic.twitter.com/2fvbDAdIqA
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) March 1, 2024
That kind of production needs to be on the roster.
With his ability to run, he could put himself in scoring position every time he gets on base. A fun fact about Locastro is that he has the MLB record with 29 straight stolen bases to begin his MLB career.
The league let the Pads get Speed Demon Tim Locastro?!?
— Devine Sports Gospel (@DevineGospel) February 28, 2024
Locastro is slated as a left fielder but can play in all three spots. He should compete with Jurickson Profar, Jose Azocar, and Jackson Merrill for a starting spot, whether that is left or center.
In 2023, Locastro batted .232 with an OPS of .731. He launched two long balls with three RBIs. The speedster stole six bags and scored 13 runs. The production was slim to none, but he hasn’t had steady playing time in years. With the way he is swinging the bat this Spring, he deserves a shot to do it when it counts. There is no better team to do it for than one that needs outfield help.
The Padres head to Seoul, South Korea, in a few weeks to begin the season against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Some signs point toward Locastro making the trip up there, as he has been in the starting nine in games with a majority of the Padres starters this Spring.
Chris is a graduate of the University of San Diego. He is the former Sports Editor for the USDVista newspaper. Chris is also an athlete and is huge fan of San Diego sports. Chris has covered the San Diego Loyal, and contributes regularly about the Padres.