Heading into the final series of the regular season against the Rockies, the Dodgers on Friday afternoon selected the contract of infielder/outfielder Tim Locastro from Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Locastro will wear uniform No. 70.
The 25-year-old, right-handed hitting prospect will make his first career appearance on a major league roster in his fifth professional season after splitting time with Oklahoma City and Double-A Tulsa this season. In 127 combined games with the OKC Dodgers and the Drillers this year, Locastro posted a .308/.383/.454 slash line with 31 doubles, four triples, 10 home runs, 40 RBI and 34 stolen bases. He has split time between the infield and the outfield this season, playing in a combined 47 games in center field, 46 games at second base, 31 games at shortstop, nine games in left field and two games in right field.
The Auburn, New York native spent a majority of the season with Tulsa, hitting .285 with 69 runs scored, 21 doubles, four triples, eight home runs, 31 RBI and 22 stolen bases in 96 games. Locastro, who was selected to the Texas League Mid-Season All-Star team, finished the year among the league leaders in stolen bases, triples, OPS, on-base percentage, runs scored and batting average. Over two stints and 31 games with Oklahoma City, the speedy infielder hit .388 with 18 runs, 10 doubles, two homers, nine RBI and 12 stolen bases along with a .987 OPS.
Locastro was acquired by Los Angeles on July 2, 2015 from the Toronto Blue Jays and over five minor league seasons with the Blue Jays (2013-15) and the Dodgers (2015-17) organizations, he has slashed .293/.372/.402 with 91 doubles, 16 triples, 24 home runs, 171 RBI and 143 stolen bases in 479 career games. Locastro was originally selected by the Blue Jays in the 13th round of the 2013 First-Year Player draft out of Ithaca College.
According to Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register, skipper Dave Roberts has said that the club is considering using Locastro as an “impact” pinch runner on the playoff roster, or a “burner,” as stated by Roberts specifically.
TBPC had the opportunity to sit and chat with Locastro on two occasions, the first just before last Christmas and the second coming a little more than four weeks ago.
To create room on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers placed outfielder O’Koyea Dickson on the 60-day disabled list with a subluxed left shoulder.
(Lauren Douglas provided the majority of information in this report)