When the D-backs called up Jordan Lawlar for his Major League debut on Sept. 7, 2023, it was with the intention of giving a player red-hot at the Minor League level a chance to impact the big league club on a daily basis.
Since then, injuries have beset the club’s No. 1 prospect. When healthy, as he has been thus far in 2025, Lawlar is as dynamic of a talent as any in the organization; on most clubs, he’d have already forced a front office’s hand.
Lawlar, still just 22, was recognized as the Triple-A Pacific Coast League’s Player of the Month on Monday after one of the most productive offensive runs in club history. And he did it all while shuffling around the infield (15 starts at second, eight at shortstop, six at third) as a means of increasing his defensive flexibility for when he’s ready to make the jump.
Offensive exploits are aplenty in the hitter-friendly PCL but Lawlar led the circuit in hits (42), OPS (1.235), total bases (77), extra-base hits (21) and runs scored (31), all while being nearly five years younger than the average player at the level.
“We're not surprised,” D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said of Lawlar’s success. “His development is coming fast and hopefully he joins us sooner than later. When that is, I'm not sure.”
But the bat has long been the more surefire aspect of Lawlar’s game. As Lovullo said, Lawlar has been “squashing the baseball,” it’s just a matter of finding out where MLB’s No. 8 overall prospect will play in The Show.
“His time is coming,” Lovullo said. “Is he going to be a second baseman? Is he going to be a shortstop? Is he going to be a third baseman? We got to get him built up and confident defensively.
“I think at one point in time through the course of the spring we talked about maybe getting him some reps in the outfield. He's athletic enough [to play there] and I think he just wants to play in the big leagues and he'll make any sacrifice to get to the big leagues, and wherever that is, we'll figure that out as soon as possible.”
