The roster of the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes changed dramatically on Thursday, July 2nd. Three young players acquired in trades by the Dodgers from outside their farm system were assigned to the Dodgers’ Advanced Single-A affiliate. The Dodgers added a total of four players to strengthen their farm system without subtracting any of their own prospects.

Pitcher Caleb Dirks along with outfielder Jordan Paroubeck were acquired from the Atlanta Braves by the Dodgers in exchange for their 87th bonus pool slot. Dirks was immediately added to the Quakes roster while Paroubeck will continue his season-long stint on the disabled list.

In a separate transaction with the Toronto Blue Jays the Dodgers came away with right-handed pitcher Chase De Jong and second baseman Tim Locastro. The Dodgers forfeited their 27th, 57th and 117th international slots to the Blue Jay for these two prospects.

By trading away four international pool slots the Dodgers seemed to be making a statement about their intentions to rebuild the farm system into the juggernaut it was in what now seems to be the distant past. As much as they covet and aggressively pursue youngsters in the international arena, the Dodgers also seem to be committed to acquiring more experienced minor league players and players with major league experience to strengthen the farm system at the upper levels.

I expect the Dodgers brain trust also have in mind the type of players they want to add to the farm system in the First Year Player Draft, through international signings and with minor league players acquired in trades. It might not be a stretch to suggest that second baseman Tim Locastro is a prototype for those acquisitions.

Playing for the Division-3 Ithaca Bombers in 2013, the soon-to-be 23-year-old (next Tuesday) Auburn native had a banner year for his school hitting .436 with 13 doubles, six triples and four home runs. He set a school record with 71 runs, 40 stolen bases. He also led the division by getting hit by a pitch 29 times.

If you look up “gamer” in the dictionary, there’s a pretty good chance it will include a photo of Tim Locastro… or at least it should. (Photo credit – Kyle Castle)

Locastro expected to be selected in the 2013 draft but certainly did not expect his name to be called so early on the third day of the draft.

“To tell you the truth, I got a call from a scout where I expected to go. Just from the experience of Tucker Healy getting drafted 25th round, I thought the mid-20s was where I was going to go,” Locastro told The Ithacan. “That was what my expectation was, so I was absolutely shocked that I went that early.”

Locastro was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays out of Ithaca College in the 13th round of the 2013 First-Year Player Draft, which exceeded his expectations by at least ten rounds. Agreeing to forgo his final year of college to sign with the Blue Jays, Locastro’s contract included tuition for his final two semesters at Ithaca.

The 6’1”, 200-pound second baseman reported to the Bluefield Blue Jays of the rookie level Appalachian League following the draft. In 43 games he hit .283 with a .367 OBP.

In 2014 Locastro played in 67 games for the Vancouver Canadians of the short season Class A Northwest League hitting .313 with an OBP of .407. His 80 hits were seventh most in the league while he placed second in the league with 32 stolen bases.

Avoiding injury again in 2014, Locastro played in 70 games with the Lansing Lugnuts of the full season Class A Midwest League. In 70 games before his trade the the Dodgers organization on Thursday, he hit .310 with an OBP of .367 and was leading the league in stolen bases with 30. Perhaps not being selected to the Midwest League All-Star team might have been considered a snub. However, it did not diminish his enthusiasm for the season as his sole goal is to beat you any way he can.

Broadcaster Jesse Goldberg-Strassler writing in The 2-2 Pitch detailed what drives Locastro.

“Tim Locastro’s mission on a baseball field is simple – he is willing to do whatever it takes to beat you. On defense, he will lay out for grounders and leap for humpback liners, robbing hits with aplomb,” writes Goldberg-Strassler. “On the base paths, he perpetually looks for the opening that will allow him to take the base in front of him, particularly by outright thievery. At the plate, he is hit by a remarkable amount of pitches, refuses to strike out, and enjoys yanking liners to left and jabbing base hits to right.”

Locastro might be described as the Ron Hunt of minor league baseball. Montreal Expo fans will remember Hunt’s penchant for getting hit by pitches, especially in 1971 when he was awarded first base 50 times as a result of being hit by a pitch. Hunt played with the Dodgers early in his career in 1967 and was hit 10 times in 110 games.

Locastro has not been hit 50 times in a season but his HBP average would rival and easily surpass Ron Hunt’s. In his last year of college ball he was hit 27 times in 48 games. In 2014 with the Vancouver Canadians he was hit 32 times in 67 games, leading all of professional baseball  – majors and minors. Through his first 70 games in 2015 with the Lansing Lugnuts he has been hit 21 times, again leading the Midwest League as well as all of all of professional baseball.

“He hangs his elbow precariously close to the inside corner, true, and pretty clearly twists his left leg toward any inside breaking ball,” explains Goldberg-Strassler. “‘Come on,’ you can imagine an opposing pitcher thinking ‘He’s getting hit by pitches that could be strikes!’”

True to form, in his debut with the Quakes on Friday night Locastro went 1 for 3 and was hit by a pitch not once, but twice. And although the Quakes ended up losing to the High Desert Mavericks (Rangers) by a score of 5-4 in 10 innings, Locastro reached base in three of his five plate appearances.

The reason for getting plunked so often isn’t difficult to figure out; and neither is the reason why the Dodgers would give up international slot money to acquire him –  Locastro does what it takes to help his team succeed, as evidenced by his perpetually dirty uniform and the badges of honor (aka: the bruises) he wears from taking one… or two… or three for the team.