Mariners To Select Tyler Locklear
The Mariners are set to select first baseman Tyler Locklear prior to tomorrow’s game against the Royals, according to Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times. The club will have to make corresponding moves to accommodate Locklear’s addition to both the 40-man and active rosters prior to tomorrow’s game.
Locklear, 23, was Seattle’s second-round pick in the 2022 draft. The Virginia Commonwealth product has moved quickly through the minors, reaching the Double-A level in just his first full professional season before reaching Triple-A 41 games into his 2024 campaign. He’s now poised to reach the majors after just ten games at Triple-A and with only 753 minor league plate appearances under his belt. His offensive output during his limited time at the minor league level certainly appears to indicate that he may be in need of a greater challenge, as he sports a career .289/.398/.508 slash line across all levels of the minors, including above average production by measure of wRC+ at every level he’s appeared at since graduating from complex ball.
That fantastic offensive performance has led him to become one of the more well-regarded prospects in the Mariners system. Baseball America rates Locklear as Seattle’s fifth best prospect and as the #83 prospect in all of baseball. BA highlights his “borderline plus-plus” power potential and patience at the plate, both traits that were on display when Locklear hit a fantastic .291/.401/.532 (155 wRC+) in 41 games at the Double-A level this season. Locklear clubbed eight home runs in just 188 plate appearances while walking at a strong 12.2% clip. That performance was good for the fifth-best on-base percentage and third-best wRC+ among all qualified hitters 25 or younger in the Texas League this season.
Locklear’s promotion to the majors comes amid injury concerns regarding first baseman Ty France. The 29-year-old is (as relayed by Divish) expected to undergo imaging on his right heel due to lingering “tenderness” after he was hit by a pitch from Royals left-hander Daniel Lynch IV during yesterday’s game. France indicated that he was hopeful he would only miss a few days of action, so it’s possible that he isn’t headed for the injured list to make room for Locklear on the active roster. While both Locklear and France have experience elsewhere on the infield, each has moved to first base full time in recent seasons and appears unlikely to be a factor at the other infield spots.
Should the Mariners plan to accommodate both Locklear and France in the starting lineup on a regular basis going forward, that would likely indicate reduced playing time for Mitch Garver, who has served as both the club’s regular DH as well as a backup catcher to Cal Raleigh. The possibility of Garver seeing less playing time going forward is hardly a shocking one given his struggles at the dish this year. While he enjoyed a strong .249/.347/.479 slash line with a 128 wRC+ between the 2021 and 2023 seasons with the Mariners and Rangers, Garver’s first season in Seattle has been difficult as he’s posted a line of just .177/.288/.331 (86 wRC+) in 54 games with the club this year.
Big Hype Prospects: DeLauter, Rosario, Locklear, Dodd, Williams
Big Hype Prospects remains focused on the Arizona Fall League where a number of future Major Leaguers are making their case. After falling behind James Triantos last week, Jakob Marsee has reclaimed his spot as the top-performing hitter in the AFL. The pitching leader isn’t as clear cut, though I believe Davis Daniel currently has the strongest case.
This week, the listed stats are from the AFL.
Five Big Hype Prospects
Chase DeLauter, 22, OF, CLE
73 PA, 4 HR, 5 SB, .270/.358/.492
Arguably the top hitting prospect in the league, DeLauter went on a tear recently. The oft-injured lefty owns an unusual swing. Scouts believe he’ll feature plus contact and power at maturity. Presently, the contact plays more consistently than his power. He also shows the plate discipline typical of many Guardians prospects – as evidenced by 10 walks and six strikeouts. DeLauter has the potential to move quickly once he gets out from under the shadow of his past injuries. His batting profile pairs well with lefty-friendly Progressive Field.
Kala’i Rosario, 21, OF, MIN
73 PA, 6 HR, 1 SB, .185/.284/.477
In my AFL preview, I described Rosario as “one of the most accomplished power hitters in the AFL.” This week, he moved into sole ownership of the home run lead with six dingers. I also noted Rosario’s improving strikeout rate throughout the season. That has backed up in the desert. His 34 percent strikeout rate is one of the worst in the league among regulars. Rosario might be showing fatigue – this has been his longest season by around 200 plate appearances.
Tyler Locklear, 22, 1B, SEA
71 PA, 3 HR, 1 SB, .302/.395/.524
Locklear is a powerful right-handed first baseman with double-plus strike zone instincts. He lays off pitches outside of the zone without any evidence of passivity in the zone. His prospect status suffers from a perceived weakness against velocity in on his hands. Since it’s in vogue to attack a hitter’s hands with triple-digit velocity, it makes sense Locklear’s comparative weakness is seen as a limiting flaw. Teams tend to ask right-handed first basemen to doubly prove themselves before they’re given a chance.
I do have optimism. Locklear’s mechanics aren’t flagged as the issue – he just doesn’t pull the ball with authority. I see this as a symptom of his plate discipline – one that might self-correct in time. Though he isn’t passive in the zone, he’s probably delaying his swing decision just long enough to spoil his outcomes on the inner edge.
Dylan Dodd, 25, SP, ATL
15 IP, 3 BB, 16 K, 3.60 ERA
A Spring Training standout, Dodd performed well in his first start then promptly unraveled. A command-and-control southpaw who relies on disrupting timing, Dodd’s struggles followed him back to the minors. He pitched much better after a month-long absence in July. His final eight appearances combined for 38.1 innings of 3.29 ERA ball. His AFL has served as a continuation of that rebound. Ultimately, Dodd resembles the latest incarnation of “The Soft-Tossing Southpaw” – a profile which plays best in low-stress, regular season settings. Like a Wade Miley, he could help round out a rotation for the next decade or more.
Carson Williams, 20, SS, TBR
69 PA, 5 SB, .271/.386/.305
Upon learning of the allegations against Wander Franco, the Rays immediately challenged Williams with a promotion to Triple-A. He was visibly overmatched. Once returned to High-A, he resumed his dominance of that league and even finished the year with a heady week in Double-A. The level hopping might have taken its toll as Williams has struggled to spark in the AFL. He should be among the league leaders. Among the ugliest signs is his 36 percent strikeout rate. He’s also managed just two extra-base hits – a pair of doubles.
Three More
Damiano Palmegiani, TOR (23): Another of the players I highlighted in the AFL preview, Palmegiani has quietly hung around the top of the offensive stats. He has nine extra base hits including four home runs. He likely has a role with the Blue Jays next season.
Caleb Durbin, NYY (23): An Altuve-sized second baseman for whom I have no scouting reports, Durbin has followed a successful stint at Double-A with an impressive AFL performance. In 69 plate appearances, he has 12 walks and six strikeouts along with a .351/.486/.596 triple-slash.
Kevin Alcantara, CHC (21): A powerful slugger with questionable contact skills, Alcantara is holding his own without truly impressing. He’s already used one service year and doesn’t appear to be a lock to debut in 2024.
Did I miss a detail or nuance? DM me on Twitter @BaseballATeam to suggest corrections.