Diamondbacks' Jordan Lawlar: GM stays positive amid slump
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Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen is not bothered by Lawlar's slump to start the season at Double-A Amarillo, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. The shortstop and Arizona's top prospect is batting .165/.299/.331 over 147 plate appearances.
Hazen said he prefers if all prospects could be like Corbin Carroll but spun Lawlar's struggles as a positive, noting the adversity gives a young player a chance to adjust and figure it out. "It's probably more approach, pitch selection, how he's being pitched," Hazen said. Specifically, the organization is focused on Lawlar's reaction to pitches on the inner half, trying to keep the ball away from him and using the entire field. One bright note is that slump has not affected his defense, which Hazen noted has been "exceptional."
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Diamondbacks' Jordan Lawlar: Struggling at Double-A
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Lawlar has returned to action after missing a few days for Double-A Amarillo with a wrist injury.
The 20-year-old shortstop is slashing .162/.296/.342 with five home runs and 10 steals in 32 games. Dating back to last year, Lawlar has a .183/.297/.347 slash line and 73:30 K:BB in 52 games at Double-A. He has a high power/speed ceiling, but legitimate hit tool concerns are starting to emerge. However, his .203 BABIP this season is a sign of some misfortune, and his 29.7 percent line drive rate, 37.8 percent flyball rate and 29 percent hard-hit rate are all signs of strong quality of contact. Lawlar's stock has decreased this season, but there are reasons to expect his performance to trend up.
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Diamondbacks' Jordan Lawlar: Suffers wrist injury
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Lawlar was removed from Tuesday's game for Double-A Amarillo after getting hit on the right wrist, Theo Mackie of the Arizona Republic reports.
A team spokesperson said X-rays came back negative, and Lawlar is considered day-to-day. One of Arizona's top prospects, Lawlar is scuffling with a .178 average and .669 OPS.
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Diamondbacks' Jordan Lawlar: Plays hero in comeback
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Lawlar went 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBI for Double-A Amarillo in Wednesday's comeback win over Frisco.
Lawlar figured prominently in the Sod Poodles' improbable comeback. With Amarillo trailing 11-1 in the seventh, Lawler jacked a three-run homer to begin the comeback. The team scored another seven runs in the eighth before Lawlar walked off the RoughRiders with a single in the 10th. The Diamondbacks' highly regarded shortstop prospect has an .835 OPS with four homers, two doubles, 12 RBI, six steals and nine runs through 15 games.
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Diamondbacks' Jordan Lawlar: Maintains on-base streak
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Lawlar went 1-for-3 with a walk, a home run and a stolen base for Double-A Amarillo on Saturday.
Lawlar launched his second home run of the season in the fourth inning and has reached base safely in all eight games for the Sod Poodles, who went by their alternate identity, the Calf Fries, on Saturday. Lawlar is 8-for-29 with six walks and four extra-base hits while stealing four bases.
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Diamondbacks' Jordan Lawlar: Ready for start of spring games
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Lawlar (shoulder) will bat sixth and play shortstop Saturday against Oakland.
Lawlar fractured his left scapula after being hit by a pitch at the Arizona Fall League, but his expected timeline of 6-to-8 weeks meant that his readiness for spring training never seemed in much doubt. The 2021 sixth-overall pick has yet to reach Triple-A, but he hit .303/.401/.509 across four levels last year, so a debut sometime late in the 2023 season seems possible.
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Diamondbacks' Jordan Lawlar: Shut down after HBP
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Lawlar will miss the next 6-to-8 weeks after being struck by a pitch Friday and suffering a fractured left scapula, Sam Dykstra of MLB.com reports.
This injury shouldn't impact Lawlar's availability for the start of spring training, but it's certainly disappointing to see his fall season cut short. He was playing great ball in the Arizona Fall League prior to the injury, as he was batting .278 with two home runs, seven RBI, four stolen bases and nine runs scored across 11 contests with Salt River.
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Diamondbacks' Jordan Lawlar: Flashing in Arizona Fall League
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Lawlar hit just .212/.299/.353 over 20 games in Double-A to wrap up the 2022 regular season, but he's impressed through six contests in the Arizona Fall League, smashing two homers and stealing two bases with a 7:7 BB:K.
It's well worth keeping in mind the context of Lawlar's small sample of Double-A struggles -- this is a 20-year-old kid who was on his second promotion of the season after opening in Single-A. Lawlar's overall line is a far more accurate indicator of his potential: .303/.401/.509 with 16 home runs, 39 steals and a 57:115 BB:K. He'll need to clip that strikeout rate a bit and show more power in the high minors, but Lawlar certainly looks the part of a future All-Star. Arizona probably won't rush him to the big leagues, so look for him to spend much of 2023 in Double-A, with a mid-to-late-season promotion to Triple-A if he excels as expected.
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Diamondbacks' Jordan Lawlar: Adjusting to High-A
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Lawlar went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored for High-A Hillsboro on Saturday.
After initial struggles following his promotion from Single-A Visalia, Lawlar has found a groove with multiple hits in three of the last seven games for the High-A affiliate. He's 9-for-32 (.281) with four doubles, two RBI and six runs scored during that stretch.
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Diamondbacks' Jordan Lawlar: Added to Futures game
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Lawlar has been added to the All-Star Futures Game as an injury replacement, Jose M. Romero of the Arizona Republic reports.
Lawlar joins fellow Arizona prospect Corbin Carroll as participants in the showcase of minor-league talent. He's batting .332 in the minors this season, with most of that work at Single-A Visalia. Lawlar was promoted to High-A Hillsboro last week and is batting .095 (2-for-21) through six games for the Hops.
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Diamondbacks' Jordan Lawlar: Gets call to High-A
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The Diamondbacks promoted Lawlar from Single-A Visalia to High-A Hillsboro on Monday.
He made his debut for Hillsboro later Monday, going 1-for-4 with a stolen base, an RBI and a run. The 20-year-old was bumped up a level after he slashed .365/.461/.623 with eight home runs and 23 stolen bases across 191 plate appearances with Visalia. Regarded as one of the top prospects in the lower levels of the minors, Lawlar is an excellent asset in dynasty leagues and should make a push for the majors by the 2024 season, if not sooner.
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Diamondbacks' Jordan Lawlar: Back in action for Single-A club
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Lawlar (back) has gone 5-for-8 with a triple, two doubles, five runs, three RBI and a stolen base in two games for Single-A Visalia since returning from the 7-day injured list Wednesday.
Lawlar has resumed raking for Visalia since rejoining the full-season affiliate following a six-game rehab assignment in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League. Before he was shut down for about three weeks with the back injury, Lawlar slashed .352/.461/.600 over 33 games at Single-A.
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Diamondbacks' Jordan Lawlar: Collects five hits in rehab game
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Lawlar (back) went 5-for-5 with a double, a triple, two RBI and three runs scored for the Diamondbacks' affiliate in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League on Tuesday.
This was Lawlar's second rehab game in the ACL -- he was hitless in two at-bats and hit by a pitch Monday -- in his bid to get back to Single-A Visalia. He started at shortstop and played seven of eight innings in the field before being taken out for the final frame. The shortstop appeared to be unaffected by the back injury that landed him on the injured list May 25. Prior to his injury, Lawlar sported a .352/.461/.600 slash line with seven home runs, three triples, four doubles, 30 runs scored, 21 RBI, and 18 stolen bases over 33 games. A return to the Rawhide is expected by the end of the week.
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Diamondbacks' Jordan Lawlar: Set to return
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Lawlar (back) is expected to play in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League beginning Monday, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports.
Lawlar will play several games there before returning to Single-A Visalia, where he batted .352 with seven home runs and 18 stolen bases prior to hitting the injured list. The shortstop experienced discomfort in his back last month, which was eventually diagnosed as a benign bone growth on the third rib of his right side. Lawlar was examined by an interventional radiologist and was cleared to resume playing. If the issue does recur, it could be addressed with an ablation procedure.
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Diamondbacks' Jordan Lawlar: Evaluated for back injury
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Lawlar was placed on the 7-day injured list with a back injury Thursday, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports.
The issue was described as "mid back soreness," and Lawlar was further evaluated in Phoenix on Thursday. He is also set to meet with a team physician Friday. It's a tough break for one of the most exciting prospects in the league, as he's hitting .352/.461/.600 with seven homers and 18 steals through 33 games with Single-A Visalia.
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Diamondbacks' Jordan Lawlar: Raps multiple hits
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Lawlar went 4-for-6 with a double, a stolen base, an RBI and a run scored for Low-A Visalia on Tuesday.
Lawlar has come out of the gate firing. He's hit safely in all four contests thus far, including three consecutive multi-hit efforts. The 19-year-old is 9-for-20 with a double, a home run, three RBI, two stolen bases and three runs scored. The 2021 sixth overall pick didn't play much last year due to a shoulder injury, but he's flashing an impressive power/speed combo early in 2022.
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Diamondbacks' Jordan Lawlar: Makes spring start
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Lawlar went 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored in Saturday's spring training game against the White Sox.
Lawlar, the Diamondbacks' first-round draft pick in 2021, made his first Cactus League start. His initial season of professional ball ended early with a shoulder injury, but the prospect is ready to go after rehabbing from surgery to repair a torn labrum. There were some nerves showing as the 19-year-old was picked off first base and made a high throw from shortstop, per Jake Rill of MLB.com.
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Diamondbacks' Jordan Lawlar: Taking swings off tee
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Lawlar (shoulder) is hitting off a tee and soft toss and is expected to be ready for the official start of minor-league camp in early March, Zach Buchanan of The Athletic reports.
Lawlar underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder in late August, and he appears to be in the final stages of his rehab program. The sixth overall pick of the 2021 Draft, Lawlar played in only two games at rookie ball before going down with the injury. The 19-year-old is one of the Diamondbacks' top prospects but is likely at least a couple years away from sniffing the majors.
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Diamondbacks' Jordan Lawlar: Done for season
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Lawlar is undergoing surgery to repair a posterior labrum tear in his shoulder and will be out for the season, William Boor of MLB.com reports.
Lawlar had participated in only two games prior to suffering the injury, forcing a disappointing end to his professional debut. He is expected to be sidelined for about seven months, which would align him with a return around the beginning of the 2022 season. Lawlar was the Diamondbacks top pick and sixth overall selection in the 2021 Draft.
