The Padres have agreed to a minor league contract with fleet-footed outfielder Tim Locastro, reports Jon Morosi of MLB Network. The Warner Sports Management client will join their big league camp as a non-roster invitee.
Locastro, 31, spent the 2023 season with the Mets organization, appearing in 43 big league games and another 19 minor league contests while also missing time with a thumb injury that required surgery. He received just 67 plate appearances in his 43 big league games — a reflection of his prowess as a pinch-runner and defensive replacement but generally light bat at the plate. Locastro batted .232/.338/.393 in his small sample of MLB work, bringing his career line to .228/.327/.337 in 616 MLB plate appearances.
While Locastro doesn’t walk much (5.8%), he’s generally had solid bat-to-ball skills (20.8% strikeout rate) and has also made an artform out of bolstering his OBP by crowding the plate and leaving himself susceptible to being plunked by opponents. It’s perhaps a dubious (and painful) “skill” to master, but Locastro has been hit in a borderline comical 7% of his MLB plate appearances. That’s allowed him to further capitalize on his elite speed; he’s swiped 45 bags in 50 attempts as a big leaguer.
Locastro has lost a bit of that speed as he’s aged but still remains among the game’s fastest players. Statcast credited him as the very fastest player in MLB from 2019-21 and ranked him in the 99th percentile in 2022, but he was “only” in the 93rd percentile of big leaguers in terms of sprint speed in 2023.
The Padres already have a heavily right-handed-hitting roster, and Locastro would further add to that if he were to make the roster. But he’s an elite source of speed off the bench who can handle all three outfield spots, and the Friars are perilously thin on outfield depth — regardless of handedness. At the moment, the Padres have only three outfielders on the 40-man roster: Fernando Tatis Jr., Jose Azocar and Jurickson Profar.
Locastro joins Oscar Mercado as a veteran non-roster option in camp, as well as former big leaguers Cal Mitchell and Bryce Johnson (who each have far less MLB experience). There’s a chance that top shortstop prospect Jackson Merrill will break camp with the club as a left fielder as well, but the 20-year-old has just 46 games above A-ball and none in Triple-A, so he could also head to the minors to begin the season.
Problem solved.
Reading some of these takes. Some of you should do standup.
Probably not the signing towinagain was hoping for.
in Tow’s last dozen posts he clamored for MiLB signings. So he should be delighted by this pick up.
Beat me to it. I am. I’m a fan of Locastro. Provides veteran depth off the bench. Speed at the top of the order.
I say it fully!
Good move Padres!
Bravo! Plus he knows how to take a pitch on the buttocks for the team
Padding. He just needs the trainers to wrap him in foam & bubble wrap before each game, and he’s good to go. His OBP will be through the roof.
he now plays for pads. So…
tia
“Provides veteran depth off the bench. Speed at the top of the order.”
85 career wRC=
Projects around a 75 wRC+ for this year
I don’t know about Merrill Jackson but Jackson “Barrels” is freakin’ ready!
Merrill is 20 years old and already getting a shot at the big league team? Dude must be raking in Spring Training lol
He has looked fantastic both on the grass and at the plate! Potential ROTY? I was more sure of Gunnar getting it last year, but Jackson will probably be in the running this year. Heard it here first? Cheers acoss
How can one name Tatis, Merrill (that’s Jackson Merrill), Profar, Mercado, Azocar, Johnson, Mitchell and you forgot Marsee and Pauley, and then say the OF is “perilously thin”? They’ll be fine.
Tatis is the only “proven” among the bunch
Profar is in his 30s and always been a streaky hitter
Merrill Marsee Pauley are rookies
Mitchell Johnson Mercardo Azocar were cast offs by former clubs and while gifted defensively what offense do they bring?
Thin is an accurate description until guys can prove they can be every day options
Right, but the situation isn’t “perilous” given how many potentially viable OFs they have in camp. Merrill is the LF, backed up by vet Profar. It’s already decided. Major prospects advance to ML all the time and this is Merrill’s time? Azocar isnt a cast off, he’s been a solid MLer playing 4th OF for Pads for several years now. But I think adding Locastro as vet depth was smart, even though Marsee, Mercado and Mitchell have looked awfully good in ST
Defensively? They’re fine in the OF
Offensively? It’s pretty perilous until proven otherwise
It was hard watching teams walk guys to get to Grisham and leave guys on base.
It’ll be harder to watch two Grishams in the lineup at 8 and 9.
Again. Things could change but until guys not named Tatis can prove they can provide offense it’s not a bright outlook.
Azocar will be better at the plate than what the Padres got from Grisham the last two seasons.
153 games 319 PAs
.249/.292/.341
81 OPS+
Well we hope Azocar will be better.
@Don’t be a sore Le-ou-za-her
I’d be tough to FIND two “Grishams”, i.e. two OF hitters who are that consistently poor bat-to-ball, to run 8 and 9 in the line-up. Baseball history is full of “flash in the pan” busts, but Grisham has to be high on that list. And it’s sad, really, cause I believe that he has all the talent he needs to hit well. His problem is 100% between his ears. That mental thingy (as I would unfortunately know quite a bit about, being as lack-of-confidence bugged me both in college sports and all things in my life, until I was in my mid-30s’. It’s a tough monkey to get off your back).
In 2022 the Padres went to the NLCS with Profar as the starting LF all season. This season he will be the utility guy with Merrill as the starting LF.
You may want to watch those “cast offs” play.
In spring training? Yeah I’ll celebrate when they can sustain success for years during regular and post season. Not during spring training.
Tbf, there are only three outfielders listed on the Padres’ 40-man roster: Tatis, Profar, and Azocar. Tucpita Marcao too if you want to consider him an OF. The rest are NRIs.
Profar and Azocar are 4th and 5th OFs. Maybe Merrill runs away with the LF or CF job, Marsee grabs the strong side of the platoon in CF, and Pauley takes a LF/1B/DH role, but expecting 2/3 rookies to grab hold of starting jobs at this point in their development seems a bit optimistic.
Merrill will make the OD roster. Marsee and Pauley will not. Mercado might as the 4th OF. Profar will be the UT.
Shildt said Azocar will make the OD roster and if you have watched him this spring you have been impressed with how he has bulked up, his increase in exit velocity off the bat and his defense. His HR on Sunday had a 109.8 mph exit velocity. Not a 5th OF. Possibly the starting OF.
Still hoping the Padres trade for a top LF and Merrill and Azocar platoon in CF, but if they don’t I am pretty sure OD will see Merrill in LF and Azocar in CF.
I have no doubt Merrill makes the OD roster, I’m just not sure if he’ll stick all year. It’s an aggressive promotion, and while Merrill has a lot of promise, I could see another CJ Abrams situation where he quickly becomes overmatched and heads back to the minors for more seasoning.
I like Azocar, but I’ll have to see more before I buy the power. I do think he’s the starting CF to open the season. I still want to see more of Merrill in CF, but I’m thinking you could platoon Merrill/Profar in left and Merrill/Azocar in center
I think that both Marsee and Pauley may look better than you may be giving them credit for. I don’t see them as future regulars, but Pauley has some thump that a team needs at the corners, and Marsee is a pretty good CF. Neither have a whole lot more to prove.
Than again, it’s a 26 man roster, and I agree with you on that, i.e. OD seems nearly set with position players. Merrill has both a higher floor and ceiling than Marsee and Pauley, and knowing what Merrill can do may be why Preller has been content to wait out the market and keep the little cash still available for future needs. Yeah, I like Sugar a bunch, too. Again, I don’t see him being more than a 4th OF, but a CONSISTENT 4th OF is a pretty valuable thing.
I haven’t been as concerned about the OF as many have been, precisely because I thought the Padres NEED to get a little younger (and to balance payroll), by bringing up a prospect or two. And the Padres have them.
Now on to pitching. I’m NEVER comfortable with starting pitching. Padre fans have seen so many “sure thing” starting rotations collapse mid season due to injury and “sudden”, “unexplainable” performance collapses. How many viable starters do the Padres need on the 40 man roster OD? Well, how many fingers do you have? Then starting counting your toes as well. Pitching is the huge question mark for the 2024 Padres, IMHO.
Merrill said today he prefers playing CF. He looked good out there yesterday.
I’m of similar thinking as you OldSalt regarding both the OF situation and SP. It wouldnt surprise me, or bother me much, if they held pat for now and didn’t make any more acquistions/trades for OF pieces. Let the young guys battle for OD and those who don’t make it will know they are close and might get a chance later in 2024.
I think they will still add a veteran L-hitting DH/bench bat, someone like B. Belt. Or they roll with a Pauley and go 3 catchers and use Campy in DH also.
As for SP. A lot would have to go right for the present rotation options to work out, including the health of Musgrove and Darvish. At least one of Avila, Waldron, Brito or Vasquez will likely fill a #5/#6 SP spots. They should preserve some of their remaining $ for in-season signings/trades, but I wouldn’t mind them spending most of what cash they have remaining on another decent SP (via trade or FA).
Brew – glad to see you have come back from the brink after your first post after Soto trade.
I had faith in you.
You mean where I showed disappointment that they wasted so many great players/prospects on Soto just to bail on him 60% through? I’ll never come around to appreciate that LT. I go way back with this team and it’s not the first time they’ve screwed up. Nor is the sky falling. I’m a fan. I’m an ex player. Being real. Looking forward.
@Brew’88
With the results in thus far, I’d hate to be the guy making the call on which position players make OD and who goes (waiver, release, or AA/AAA). Just looking at the stats, there are no clear winners, IMHO. Mercado had his day (and I know little about him). Other NRI’s have performed. No one’s batting .500 with 5 HR, or other ridiculous kinds of stuff.
Spring training is so short, and it’s so easy for a guy who’s been a .200 or ..230 hitter to shine in a small sample size. Heck, Sugar (Azacar) has done some hitting, too, and we can be pretty certain he’s not going to be a .275 hitter with power over the balance of his career. Sullivan (C) hit a bomb today.
Ironically, as much as regulars like Musgrove (properly) use Spring Training to “work on stuff” and not worry about results, the pitching results are the only thing I’m really looking at. Pitching in Spring Training is much likelier to correspond to the regular season, than anything (offense) the position players.
You bet – I go back to late 80’s with Pads.
Glad you are with me (and Gwynning).
@OldSalt Yeah with the OF I doubt they go with ST hot hitter over guys with experience or who have projected high ceilings. Since it appears that Merrill is preordained to OD, and Profar and Azocar locked in. Assuming they keep a 5th OF, and they probably will, I’m guessing it comes down to Mercado vs Locastro for the last spot, with Mitchell and B. Johnson and others the odd men out. Marsee is a favorite of mine with his potential high OBP skills, but more time in minors might be good for him. It would probably be good for Merrill as well, but he’s been chosen already ( even Acee is glowing ).
LT nah, I don’t jump I go down with the ship (every time)
Well, Sullivan makes a certain amount of sense. Having a 3rd catcher (1) allows the manager to put both of the others in the game, e.g. DH/C, (2) Sullivan can play IF/OF, too, and (3) whoever the 5th OF would be, wouldn’t probably hit too much more than Sullivan anyhow. Now, a legitimate bopper/1B/LF could be a good fit, too, but I’m not sure any of those guys will measure up (again, not discounting Pauley, but as you say, in absense of other indicators, they’ll have to go with experience and flexibility over a rookie 1B).
Viable starters? By that I am assuming you mean someone that can pitch at or above 5.00 ERA, which was the average ERA of a 5th starter in MLB the last 2 seasons.
With the rate of injuries we saw across MLB last season, teams need a minimum of 8 guys including minor league depth to consistently have 5 in the rotation of that caliber or better.
The Padres have 3 guys that are locks. Musgrove, Darvish, and King. Beyond that the guys that have gone multiple innings in their 2nd spring training appearances have been Waldron and Brito who both went 3 innings yesterday. Today Avila will start the game. Tomorrow Vasquez will start one of the games and Iriarte the other.
Around the 10th we will start to see these guys going 5 innings and we will have a better idea of who is going to make it and who wont. My money is on Waldron and Brito as of today, but that is fluid. I think all 5 will make the OD staff, but if Estrada keeps pitching like he has so far in camp two of those 5 might open the season in AAA to get consistent starts.
Shildt’s comment about the possibility of signing Ryu and subsequent statements about possible additions to the roster is telling. He has said now three times that they won’t make a move unless its a “true upgrade”. I take that to mean someone significantly better than the player projected to play the position today, not just an small improvement.
That means Brito, Vasquez, Waldron, Avila, and Iriarte as #4 and #5 SP and Merrill in LF, Azocar in CF, and Batten at DH.
Do you believe that any of the free agent pitchers left on the FA market other than Snell or Montgomery are a true upgrade? I don’t.
Other than Duvall none of the position players on the FA market are true upgrades either.
Shildt said that they are considering carrying 3 catcher and that Sullivan will get game time at corner OF and 1B in camp to get him prepared for a role that includes more than catching and that because they want to get his bat in the lineup Campusano will DH during the regular season.
So that would leave trades, which is what I have been saying all along needed to happen. Preller also mentioned trades as the most likely moves.
There’s exactly one proven outfielder on the Padres. As exciting as Merrill is, for every rookie that hits the ground running, there are 5 more who start slow or don’t start at all (Urias, Luis; Mejia, Francisco).
You don’t want Mercado, Johnson, Mitchell, Marsee, and Pauley playing meaningful innings this year, as they’re either AAAA players or complete unknowns.
I’m quite high on Pauley as a pure DH option. Agree overall, though.
“Will join”?? He has been in Padres camp since Monday.
Yeah but the other guys were making him sit at the kid’s table
I like the group we have in camp but am always open to bettering the club…
Ithaca Bombers own baby!
Not sure who Merrill Jackson is, but Jackson Merrill will be on the Padres opening day roster in Korea. As will Azocar and Profar.
Padres OF is full and they have a tremendous amount of depth that will start the season in the minors including Mercado, Mitchell, Johnson, and the just signed LoCastro. Depth every team needs when injuries hit.
If the Padres don’t trade for a LF or CF, then Mercado may make the squad as a 5th OF out of camp if he continues to play well.
Tim Locastro is the type of player who could very well end up as a Dave Roberts player. At the deadline, Locastro could end up as the 26th man whose sole job is to steal in the most important games during the postseason. Tim will be most valuable at the trade deadline.
Whatever AJP does for the Padres outfield, I just hope he DOES NOT sign Pham again. The guy’s ego and chip-on-his-shoulder about his past with the Cardinals organization, just ticked me off. He seems like an all mouth no baseball kinda guy. Yeah, he was a gamer with it suited him. Not when he wanted to do his thing, like hang out in shady strip clubs. He’s a Vegas guy – let the “A’s” have him. He’s got some baseball cred, but I really don’t think he’s good for the Padres club house.
Put any of the Pads prospects on the 26 man roster, and let Pham go get his $$$ somewhere else.
/rant
Absolutely no Pham, but I’d take a Michael Taylor for CF!
But the costs Gwynnzzzzzz. it’s either or OF or SP. Me thinks $ better spent on one reliable SP. And yep, no matter what no Pham
5 to 6 AAV, plus pick up Lorenzen OR Lauer. Bow tie and chef’s kiss!
That Fullerton boy would be a worthy wildcard but wants 12-13M. Taylor 83 OPS+ half as much? Maybe they can swing er but if I had to chose I’d put the $ in a good SP
21 is good in Blackjack, not so much when considering the wiggle room until Tier 1. Gotta keep a cushion, too… possibly add mid-season. As much as I’d love a top-shelf arm, I just don’t see it happening. Very doubtful there’s any “possibility” of moving salary right now, too. Of course they could; I’m just skeptical that they’ll move a HSK just to sign a Snell or Monty.