SAN FRANCISCO — Arizona Diamondbacks prospect Jordan Lawlar is coming up to the major leagues not as an injury replacement nor to take anyone in the starting lineup’s job.
He does not have an obvious avenue to everyday playing time, and yet, the Diamondbacks expect he will get three to four starts each week.
His versatility to play all three infield spots except first base will create opportunities to get him in the batting order, even if that means getting some regulars off their feet or playing designated hitter.
“I feel like at some point we’re required to put the 26 best players in our organization on our team, especially a team that we have said that every day matters,” general manager Mike Hazen said.
“Clearly in the National League, every day’s gonna matter. … I feel like he has the ability, he’s a very good player and putting him on this roster for this team with as important as this team is to us, he’s gonna play a big role.”
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The Diamondbacks have struggled to break away from the .500 mark, entering Monday 21-20 after a four-game series split with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Lawlar has climbed prospect rankings this season, as he started the year clicking offensively in Triple-A Reno. He gives the D-backs a different dynamic with speed to burn and pop from the right side.
The 2021 No. 6 overall pick has come up as a shortstop and received some looks at third base over the past couple years. When second baseman Ketel Marte landed on the injured list in early April, Lawlar didn’t have experience at the position, and he’s since gotten run there with Reno in the weeks since.
“He’s gonna impact games,” Hazen said. “I’m imagining late in games being able to run, so we’ll try to use him as much as possible. … Ketel’s gonna DH some. (Lawlar) will get some days at short, some days at third. It’s not gonna be every day. Those guys are the everyday players. He’ll figure out a way to get his reps too.”
“Ecstatic to be here,” Lawlar said. “I told (manager Torey Lovullo) and everybody, I just wanna be here and help the team win in any way that I can be called on to do.”
D-backs' top prospect Jordan Lawlar is "ecstatic" about his second call-up to the major leagues. pic.twitter.com/6cl8inBvv8
— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) May 12, 2025
Geraldo Perdomo at shortstop, Marte at second and Eugenio Suarez at third block Lawlar’s path to an everyday spot.
Marte is back from injury and coming off a series in which he hit three home runs and a double. Perdomo is on an All-Star track and leading the team in WAR (Baseball Reference) while Suarez is tied for second in the major leagues with 12 home runs.
Lawlar was not in the lineup on Monday after getting called up, but Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro suggested Lawlar would start on Tuesday against Giants lefty Robbie Ray.
Marte is on a return-to-play progression, so he will be off his feet every seven days or so in the interim. Suarez and Perdomo have each started 40 of the first 41 games. Lovullo joked that Suarez would probably arm wrestle him and break his arm for taking him out of the starting lineup.
Lovullo on Sunday suggested the mid-150s to high-150s games is the sweet spot he’d prefer to start his players, not in the 140s.
The Diamondbacks additionally designated utility man Garrett Hampson for assignment, opting to keep the younger Tim Tawa on the roster for depth. Tawa will play a greater role in the outfield going forward, including center field.
Hazen said Lawlar will take up the at-bats Tawa has received when Marte isn’t starting at second base.
Jordan Lawlar getting another chance
Lovullo described Lawlar as having knocked on the major league door as hard as he could given his performance. The 22-year-old has found comfort playing second base while still getting reps on the left side of the infield. The club has not gotten to the point where it wants him trying the outfield at this time.
At the plate, Lawlar hit .336 with a .992 OPS in 37 games for Reno. He hit six home runs with 15 doubles in 173 plate appearances, stealing 13 bags.
“Controlling the zone really well,” Lawlar said has been key. “Attacking when the pitch was over the plate and just trusting my approaches, making pitch-to-pitch adjustments.”
This is not Lawlar’s first call-up.
The D-backs in September 2023 moved on from longtime shortstop Nick Ahmed to give Lawlar an opportunity to help against left-handed pitching. Lawlar went 4-for-31 at the plate and hardly played during the postseason.
Hazen called him a more experienced and better player this time around.
“Just maturing overall, off the field, on the field,” Lawlar said. “Obviously gotten a little bit older and just more experience being around these kinds of guys and asking questions. It just comes with time.”
Lawlar found out about his promotion after Reno’s game on Sunday, as third-base coach Shawn Roof pulled him into the office where all of his coaches were waiting for him.
The plan now is to stay present and be flexible.
The jump from Triple-A to the major leagues is difficult. Lawlar has gone through it once before, and there will be bumps in the road. But the upside and dynamism he adds to the roster leaves them in a better place than they left off on Sunday.
"He's been able to work around the diamond."
Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen on why now was the right time to call up Jordan Lawlar: pic.twitter.com/hwOENZuNUU
— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) May 12, 2025
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