The Seattle Mariners are turning to one of their hottest prospects to help fill a key void. Following Wednesday’s 6–1 loss to the Oakland Athletics, manager Dan Wilson confirmed that first baseman/outfielder is headed to the injured list with back stiffness, while first base prospect Tyler Locklear is being recalled to take his place.
Locklear rejoins the big-league roster riding a two-month tear at Triple-A Tacoma, capped by an explosive July. In 20 games this month, the 24-year-old slugger posted a jaw-dropping .425/.495/.825 slash line, belting nine home runs and driving in 33 runs for a 1.320 OPS. He led the Pacific Coast League in all major offensive categories for July and was recently named PCL Player of the Week for July 21–27.
That honor came on the heels of an incredible stretch where Locklear went 9-for-9 and reached base in 11 straight plate appearances. Over the award week, he went 11-for-23 with five home runs.
Since the beginning of June, Locklear has launched 16 of his 19 home runs this season. Overall, he’s batting .316 with a .401 on-base percentage and .543 slugging across 97 games, adding 25 doubles, 81 RBIs, 18 stolen bases, and 47 walks.
Originally drafted in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of VCU, Locklear made his MLB debut with Seattle last season, appearing in 16 games. He struggled in that brief stint, hitting just .145 with a .535 OPS and two homers. Now, he’ll get a second chance, this time arriving with plenty of momentum.
Per MLB Pipeline, Locklear ranks as the No. 9 prospect in the Mariners’ system and has previously cracked top 100 prospect lists from both MLB Pipeline and Baseball America.
As for Raley, his IL stint comes after sitting out of the starting lineup for the last six games. He last appeared as a defensive replacement on July 24. It’s his second trip to the IL this season, having missed nearly two months earlier with a right oblique strain.
The 30-year-old was one of the Mariners’ most consistent hitters in 2024, but has struggled to replicate that production in 2025. In 49 games, he’s slashing .220/.343/.348 with four home runs and 18 RBIs.
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