5 Mets players who won’t make the Opening Day roster but will have an impact in 2023

3) Tim Locastro is the outfielder stashed on the Mets farm for one purpose

Tim Locastro has become the new Terrance Gore. His amazing speed is a weapon teams have been harnessing for the last few seasons. His bat, on the other hand, has left a lot to be desired. Through 360 MLB plate appearances he’s a .227/.325/.331 hitter but has managed to swipe 39 bases. His legs keep him employed.

Locastro is an outfielder the Mets should look toward as a September call-up option. Promoting him before rosters expand is risky. He’s on a minor league deal with no options remaining. The ball club will have only one chance to summon him to the big leagues. We shouldn’t expect them to do it early. Locastro is not a good enough hitter to carry for a long period of time.

Strictly for pinch-running duties, Locastro can be a September and October contributor for the 2023 Mets. It’s obvious this is what Billy Eppler signed him to do. Expecting anything else from the 30-year-old journeyman speedster is setting standards too high.

Speed is an unusual weapon in today’s MLB. Guys like Locastro need to do more than run quickly in order to keep a roster spot. Unfortunately, it’s about all he can do at a tremendous rate.

Until the final month of the season nears, we wish Locastro good luck in Syracuse.