Tim Locastro: Speedy Mets Outfielder (2023)

Timothy Donald Locastro was born July 14th, 1992, in Auburn, New York. Auburn is located at the end of Lake Oswego in the Finger Lakes region of Cayuga County. 

Trivia: The town has a long association with baseball going back to 1877. Today it is home to the minor league Auburn Doubledays.

The Italian American Locastro attended Ithaca College breaking records for stolen bases & runs scored with his blazing speed. In 2013 he was named the Empire 8 Player of the Year, getting drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 13th round that year.

In the Blue Jays minor leagues, he stole thirty or more bases two straight seasons collecting 62 steals in 80 attempts in those two seasons. He was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers organization & made his big-league debut as a pinch runner in late September 2017.

MLB Career: In 2018 he was called up to the Dodgers for eight games in May collecting his first big league hit on May 4th in a 4-0 Walker Buehler six inning shut out over the Padres. Locastro spent most of the year at AAA batting .286 returning as a September call up.

In November he was sent to the AL New York team then was dealt to the Arizona Diamondbacks in January 2019. He spent two seasons with Arizona, seeing the most action in 2019 playing in 91 games batting .250 with 17 stolen bases in 17 attempts, 12 doubles & 17 RBIs.

 On July 31st he hit his first MLB HR the only one of that season, coming off the AL New York teams Nestor Cortes. Next season in the Covid-19 shortened year, he was also clocked as the fastest sprinter in MLB. He stole four more bases that season without getting thrown out. He saw action in 33 games hitting .290 in that time.

photo by centerfieldmaz
Spring Training 2023

Record Breaker: On April 10, 2021 Locastro stole his second base of the year, this steal in an 8-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds set a record, as he became the first player in MLB history to start a career by stealing 28 straight bases without getting caught stealing. He beat the former record held by Tim Raines.

 After 55 games of the 2021 season, he was traded to the AL New York team where he drove in a run in his first game. It came in the first game of a July 4th double header split against the Mets. A week later he hit a HR in a loss at Houston. He played in just nine games before tearing a ligament ending his season. 

He returned to play another season with the AL New York team batting .186 in 38 games. He saw action in two post season games stealing a base in the ALDS against Cleveland.

Mets Career: Locastro signed a minor league deal with the New York Mets for 2023. He had a good spring training impressing with his speed & made the roster when the Mets cut Darin Ruf. 

Locastro was mostly used as a pinch runner, seeing action in 11 games going 0-7. Then he went on the injured list with back spasms & tore his ACL in a rehab assignment ending his season.

In a seven-year career, Locastro is batting .224 with 22 doubles 7 HRs 90 runs scored & 35 RBIs. He stole 43 bases in 48 attempts &with a .325 on base % & .651 OPS.

Family: Locastro is also part Irish & is a big fan of Notre Dame football. He married the former Jenn Fox in January 2023 in Scottsdale, Arizona.