The Mariners are set to pick first baseman Tyler Locklear previous to tomorrow’s recreation in opposition to the Royals, in line with Ryan Divish of the Seattle Occasions. The membership should make corresponding strikes to accommodate Locklear’s addition to each the 40-man and energetic rosters previous to tomorrow’s recreation.
Locklear, 23, was Seattle’s second-round choose within the 2022 draft. The Virginia Commonwealth product has moved shortly by way of the minors, reaching the Double-A stage in simply his first full skilled season earlier than reaching Triple-A 41 video games into his 2024 marketing campaign. He’s now poised to achieve the majors after simply ten video games at Triple-A and with solely 753 minor league plate appearances underneath his belt. His offensive output throughout his restricted time on the minor league stage definitely seems to point that he could also be in want of a larger problem, as he sports activities a profession .289/.398/.508 slash line throughout all ranges of the minors, together with above common manufacturing by measure of wRC+ at each stage he’s appeared at since graduating from advanced ball.
That implausible offensive efficiency has led him to turn out to be one of many extra well-regarded prospects within the Mariners system. Baseball America charges Locklear as Seattle’s fifth finest prospect and because the #83 prospect in all of baseball. BA highlights his “borderline plus-plus” energy potential and persistence on the plate, each traits that have been on show when Locklear hit a implausible .291/.401/.532 (155 wRC+) in 41 video games on the Double-A stage this season. Locklear clubbed eight house runs in simply 188 plate appearances whereas strolling at a robust 12.2% clip. That efficiency was good for the fifth-best on-base proportion and third-best wRC+ amongst all certified hitters 25 or youthful within the Texas League this season.
Locklear’s promotion to the majors comes amid harm considerations relating to first baseman Ty France. The 29-year-old is (as relayed by Divish) anticipated to bear imaging on his proper heel on account of lingering “tenderness” after he was hit by a pitch from Royals left-hander Daniel Lynch IV throughout yesterday’s recreation. France indicated that he was hopeful he would solely miss just a few days of motion, so it’s attainable that he isn’t headed for the injured record to make room for Locklear on the energetic roster. Whereas each Locklear and France have expertise elsewhere on the infield, every has moved to first base full time in latest seasons and seems unlikely to be an element on the different infield spots.
Ought to the Mariners plan to accommodate each Locklear and France within the beginning lineup frequently going ahead, that will probably point out diminished taking part in time for Mitch Garver, who has served as each the membership’s common DH in addition to a backup catcher to Cal Raleigh. The opportunity of Garver seeing much less taking part in time going ahead is hardly a stunning one given his struggles on the dish this yr. Whereas he loved a robust .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 tough as he’s posted a line of simply .177/.288/.331 (86 wRC+) in 54 video games with the membership this yr.
