Dodgers: How Does Tim Locastro Fit on the 2018 Roster?

The Dodgers had a late call-up of Tim Locastro in 2017, and he didn’t get much of a chance to leave an impact. The young speedster did manage to steal a base in his three games.

Tim Locastro was called up to the Dodgers’ big league squad very late in September, and very few fans knew anything about him. While many are used to not recognizing the names that often show up with the roster expansions, Locastro might have been the least known. The exciting thing is that fans have every reason to be thrilled about this young prospect. The 25-year-old utility man out of Ithaca New York looks poised to breakout in 2018.

Locastro played most of his time in 2017 as a member of the Tulsa Drillers, the AA affiliate. In his time there in 2017, Locastro hit .285 and stole 22 bases. After a promotion to AAA Oklahoma City, Locastro got even better. He hit .388 over 31 games and stole 22 bases. He finished with a .308 batting average and 34 stolen bases in 2017. The Dodgers have not had a player steal more than 20 bases in a season since 2014 when Dee Gordon stole a career-high 64 bases.

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And that is precisely why Locastro appears to be ready to be a big part of Los Angeles’ 2018 plans. While they do have speed, the Dodgers haven’t had someone of Locastro’s caliber in nearly 4 years. That seems to be a key piece they have been missing from their high powered offense. Locastro can get on base often and take bases with ease, at least so far. He had a great year in 2017 with an on-base percentage of .383, which would put him near the top of all starting Dodgers players by comparison.

Locastro also offers some of the same versatility of Chris Taylor and Kike Hernandez. He can move all around the field, and he proved that in 2017. Locastro played five different positions in 2017, including all three outfield spots. With the versatility that the front office has come to expect, he fits right in with their plans. The Dodgers ranked 19th overall in the league in stolen bases for 2017, with just 77. This added threat can only help an offense that thrived immensely last year.

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Locastro was drafted out of Ithaca College in New York in 2013. The Blue Jays took him in the 13th round, and he played in their system until 2015. That was when he was traded to the Dodgers along with Chase De Jong. Los Angeles traded away three international trade slots in exchange for the two prospects.