Outfielder Tim Locastro is returning to the Padres on a minor league contract, Locastro himself tells Robert Harding of the Auburn Citizen. The Warner Sports client is on the mend from shoulder surgery performed last July and will head to minor league camp.
Locastro, 32, signed a minor league deal with the Padres last offseason as well. He hit well, putting up a line of .333/.449/.479 in Triple-A, but in just 33 games. As he himself tells Harding, he landed awkwardly during a steal attempt in the middle of May and dislocated his right shoulder. He tried to rehab this injury but was unsuccessful, undergoing the aforementioned July surgery to repair damage in that shoulder, including to his labrum. He tells Harding that he’s now healthy and ready to go for the 2025 season.
Though he didn’t make it to the majors last year, Locastro did appear in the previous seven campaigns. He’s never been a full-time player but his tremendous speed has made him an attractive bench piece. He has stolen 45 bags in 50 attempts at the big league level. Statcast ranked him as having 100th percentile sprint speed from 2019 to 2021, dropping slightly to 99th and 93rd percentile in 2022 and 2023.
He has stepped to the plate 616 times in the majors, with a line of .228/.327/.337. That translates to a wRC+ of 85, indicating he’s been about 15% below league average. He’s generally been better in the minors, with a career line of .289/.387/.457 in Triple-A, but hasn’t been able to put up that kind of performance in the show. Despite his speed, reviews on his defense are mixed. He has been graded as worth five Outs Above Average but Defensive Runs Saved has him at -5 in his 1,218 2/3 innings.
The Padres have two outfield spots spoken for, with Jackson Merrill in center and Fernando Tatis Jr. in right. Jason Heyward and Connor Joe will seemingly form a platoon in left. Players like Tirso Ornelas and Brandon Lockridge are on the 40-man and could earn some playing time, but they also have options and could get regular action in the minors instead.
If Locastro can play his way onto the roster, he’ll provide the Friars with a speedy bench outfielder. For now, he’ll join Oscar González and Forrest Wall as notable minor league signees in the outfield mix. Locastro has less than five years of service time but is out of options.
Not to forget that he is also a hit-by-pitch wonder.
Grab Cal Mitchell again and AAA is set
Welcome back Timmmmmmayyyy!
Where is Towinagain ??? This is Yahtzee material.
He must be in line at Costco, dude goes through so much Kleenex… the skies of your Seattle don’t cry as often as tow! Cheers Iggy
It might be cheaper for tow to sign up for better help with all the money he blows on Kleenex. I’d buy stock in the company if he started paying for therapy.
Gwynny, not sure if we discussed this prior (and this is not related to the post, sorry everyone) ; but I wanted to run something by you as an expert witness to this grand game: guys like Anthony Rendon. Someone who is athletically gifted enough to excel at this sport (and perhaps -any-sport) but just sees his gift as a meal ticket, a way to make bank (EASY way to make a living) and nothing more. It’s just a job, ya know? How common is that do you think amongst the ranks?? I also think of guys like Vladdy Jr. Tatis Jr. Bichette guys who have been living breathing eating baseball since they were in the womb. They could possibly hate baseball with a passion, it being pushed down their throat their entire lives. But do you still think it’s a small percentage of players who view it as just a job; and have no real fire burning for the game? I would surmise that baseball, to really excel at it, does take a passion and commitment because it’s such a time intensive and grueling season. Year after year. The guys like Rendon get their first injury and let things spiral b/c the hearts not in it. Anyway very curious about your perspective! Sorry so long and off’topic….buzzed!!!! Lol. Cheers amigo
I thought this was MLB rumors site. Mentioning AAA fodder that has no chance at meaningful contributions in the majors is not worth mentioning here.
Pretty easy not to click the story, Dan-o…
What would be the fun in that?
None, I suppose. As for me, I’m interested in all of AJ’s signings, big house and small. Ta-ta brah
Two of three of those marginal signings helped the Padres get to 93 wins last year. I’m with you Gwynning. Every signing counts, and every minor leaguer has MLB potential. No one knows for sure how a career will pan out (e.g. witness Profar’s turn around last year).
IF Locastro could get 600 ABs per year over 15 years, he’d blow past Rickey as the all-time SB leader
The Magic 8-ball says “unlikely”
Pessimist! (Oh, yeah, I forgot. All baseball fans are pessimists by nature, but not before April 1st!).
I wondered what happened to him last season. Labrum surgery is bad.
Locastro has the one thing you can’t teach…Speed. The bummer is that he is out of options so AAA and if he did get a call to San Diego and then had to go down, he would probably get DFA or have to clear waivers and accept a minor league assignment…. he could end up being a trade piece.
He has decent numbers at AAA but he always seems to get hurt and if he could ever get some playing time his numbers would improve but not a whole lot of spots to play. Typical AJ Preller move…very low risk but he could surprise.
Regardless of what towinagain always predicts…gloom and doom, this team having lost Profar (last season was an outlier and he will come back to earth), Kim hurts because he is a great defensive infielder and good all-around player, Solano and Peralta fit their roles perfectly, Higoshiika was a pleasant surprise and Tanner Scott thins out the bullpen, is still in very good shape…Connor Joe and Jason Heyward should be able to handle LF just fine and Joe can spell Arraez at 1B and also can play 2B if needed and Heyward can spell Tatis if needed, Pivetta will be a solid addition to the starting rotation as will Kyle Hart, Matt Waldron, Randy Vasquez, Johny Brito and Stephen Kolek give them starting pitching depth with Musgrove out, the bullpen is solid with Suarez ( Closer), Morejon, Peralta, Jason Adam, Cosgrove, Estrada along with others and I think that Bryan Hoeing could have a break out season.
Catching is adequate with Luis Campusano and Elias Diaz with Brett Sullivan and possibly Maldonado providing depth in AAA, The infield with Machado 3B, Boegarts SS, Croneworth 2B and Arreaz 1B is a better infield than 3/4 of MLB and Arraez is actually better than people think, Tyler Wade is a very versatile piece that has good speed and can play 2b, 3B and SS, Mason McCoy is a very good SS but his bat is lacking, Eugy Rosario would be a great backup for Manny at 3B and he can hit. Outfield depth in the way of Tirso Orneles and Brandon Lockridge are solid and won’t hurt you at all. Then add in all of the players that AJ Preller has signed and this team has depth for days and if nothing else AAA will be loaded, Bergert, Baez, Reynolds, Jacob, Valenzuela, Brosseau, Guriel, Sheets and then add in the fact that Ethan Salas and Leo DeVries will be up soon…2026/2027.
This team will be in contention all season in my opinion but then again it’s baseball and anything and I do mean anything can happen.
It’s time to kick the tires and light the fires.
Sup Ayn Rand
re: “gloom and doom” predictions
Manny wasn’t 100% last year. Tatis, Jr., either. Bogaerts hasn’t been 100% since the Pads signed him. All three of them have a decent chance to be better this year than last. Luis Arraez wasn’t 100% most of the year, either.
The problem with static analysis, e.g. “delete productive players that left, insert 4A player to replace = worst team in 2024” is that it doesn’t account for changes that don’t involve roster changes. Musgrove was essentially out or under-performing most of last year. I didn’t check his stats (though someone will), but Hart or Pivetta may out perform him this year. Waldron seemed like he just ran out of gas last season, which was is first as a regular starter. He should improve.
I’m still looking for a couple of more signings or trades like AJP made last year, e.g. Peralta, which may not seem significant in March, but might make all the difference in September.
The holes in the roster aren’t quite as extreme as many have portrayed. Some folks need to step up (particularly behind the plate). The ’25 squad won’t be the ’24 squad, but a whole lot of what got the ’24 team to 93 wins is returning.
I see the Pads still in the playoff race at the trade deadline. Injures will probably make as much a difference as individual performance. As you said, it’s just baseball.