Mariners to Promote Tyler Locklear
The Mariners plan to promote first baseman Tyler Locklear before their game against the Royals, as reported by Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times. To accommodate Locklear, the team will need to make corresponding roster moves.
Locklear, 23, was Seattle’s second-round pick in the 2022 draft from Virginia Commonwealth. He has rapidly progressed through the minors, reaching Double-A in his first full professional season and advancing to Triple-A 41 games into his 2024 campaign. With just ten games at Triple-A and 753 minor league plate appearances, Locklear is set to make his major league debut. His impressive minor league performance, with a career .289/.398/.508 slash line and above-average wRC+ at every level, suggests he is ready for a new challenge.
Locklear is highly regarded in the Mariners’ system, ranked as their fifth-best prospect and #83 overall by Baseball America, which praises his power potential and patience at the plate. This season, he excelled at Double-A with a .291/.401/.532 slash line, eight home runs in 188 plate appearances, and a 12.2% walk rate, making him one of the top performers in the Texas League for hitters 25 or younger.
Locklear’s promotion is timely due to injury concerns with first baseman Ty France, who is undergoing imaging on his right heel after being hit by a pitch. France hopes to miss only a few days, so he may not be placed on the injured list, allowing both him and Locklear to be in the starting lineup. This could mean reduced playing time for Mitch Garver, who has struggled this season with a .177/.288/.331 slash line in 54 games, compared to his stronger performance from 2021 to 2023.
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