Tyler Locklear, 1B/3B, 58th overall (second round) Bats – RH, Throws – RH
Tyler Locklear is an intriguing pick at 58, considering MLB.com had him ranked as the 98th-best prospect in this year’s draft. Clearly the Mariners see some intangibles and good upside in a player who recently completed his red-shirt sophomore season at Virginia Commonwealth University.
In 62 games during the 2022 season, Locklear batted .402, scored 77 runs, hit 20 home runs and 78 RBI, had six stolen bases and 47 walks. He also impressed with a .542 on-base percentage, .799 slugging percentage and 1.342 OPS.
The 21-year-old appears to have good judgement skills, as evidenced by more walks than strikeouts (101-78) during his three seasons at VCU. His resume includes being named both Atlantic 10 Conference Player and Rookie of the Year in 2021, along with helping his team win a pair of Atlantic 10 Conference titles.
Interestingly, the Mariners noted Locklear’s position as being a third baseman, which is where he sees himself playing going forward. However, he also spent time at first base during the 2022 season and the majority of scouting projections have him playing here in the long run.
Speaking to the media after being selected, Locklear described getting the call as a surreal moment and a dream come true. He also said:
“Being a part of (the Mariners) organization, they’ve got a pretty winning culture from what I’ve seen. Then just the history of the Mariners with Ken Griffey Jr. and all those guys, just to be a part of that, I can’t wait.”
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