How Will the D-Backs Fit Jordan Lawlar Into the Lineup?

This season, the Arizona Diamondbacks have been one of the best teams in baseball’s best division, the National League West. This is largely in part to their infield, which has seen every active player post a wRC+ above 116. This group is one of the best infields in the sport, as their offensive numbers haven’t been challenged by many other teams.

Despite the success of their infield as is, they have yet another infielder in Triple-A who has been waiting for his chance to shine in the big leagues: former first-round pick Jordan Lawlar.

Before the season began, the club extended its former All-Star shortstop Geraldo Perdomo to a four-year deal worth $45 million. For many, this seemed like the D-Backs had made Lawlar’s path to the Major Leagues even more difficult, as their shortstop wasn’t leaving the team any time soon.

However, the team’s GM, Mike Hazen, made one thing clear: “When Jordan Lawlar is ready to be on this team, Jordan Lawlar’s gonna be on this team.”

So far this season, Lawlar has crushed Triple-A pitching, showing that the club could no longer hold him in the minor leagues. On May 11, the D-Backs kept their word, promoting him to the Major League club.

Despite being well-deserved, Lawlar’s promotion complicates things for Torey Lovullo, as he now has to try and squeeze another talented infielder into his lineup. Although it may be difficult, it can be done. Let’s break down how Lawlar could fit into this D-Backs lineup.

What Does Jordan Lawlar Bring to the Table?

From the moment the D-Backs drafted Lawlar in 2021, it was clear that he was going to be one of the better prospects in the game. Scouts game him high praise for his game, as he possessed the unique ability to be a sound offensive player while flashing some serious power potential at times.

When I wrote about Lawlar’s path to the big leagues following Perdomo’s extension, I mentioned that his power has often been regarded as potentially being able to reach the 20-25 homer mark. This gives Lawlar the potential to become someone like Trea Turner, who can flash some real power without sacrificing much else offensively.

This power potential has been evident in his time in Triple-A to start the 2025 season, as he had hit six homers in 37 games before his promotion. When you take this pace over a full, 162-game season, you see that Lawlar was right in line to reach his power projection, as this was a 26-homer pace.

A potentially stronger power profile isn’t the only tool Lawlar possesses, though, as he flashed all of his tools on full display at Triple-A. Before his promotion, Lawlar was slashing .336/.413/.579 with a 143 wRC+, showcasing his elite bat-to-ball skills in the process.

Lawlar is relatively disciplined at the plate as well, as he was walking just over 10% of the time, while striking out just 22.5% of the time. In addition to this, he did a reasonable job laying off pitches outside of the zone, as his O-Swing rate was just 25%. Lawlar also whiffed just over 26% of the time, which was a pretty decent mark.

While his plate discipline does still have room for improvement, this is certainly a good sign that he will continue to improve as he gets more time in the Major Leagues.

In addition to the value he brings offensively, Lawlar is a sound player in the field as well. He’s flashed a strong glove, one that’s often regarded as having the ability to reach a 60-grade tool in the future. He comes with a decent arm, although it likely sits around the 55-grade mark moving forward.

Lawlar will also have plenty of range at the position, due to his 70-grade speed. This should allow him to reach balls hit deeper into the gap between shortstop and third base, as well as up the middle.

His speed should also allow him to steal plenty of bases in the Major Leagues, potentially even giving him the potential to reach 40 steals in a 162-game season.

Overall, the D-Backs lineup is gaining a very well-rounded player here. He should flash some impressive power potential while staying disciplined at the plate and playing well in the field at his peak performance.

How Do the D-Backs Fit Him in?

Now that we’ve established the player Lawlar can be at his peak, we’re now faced with the difficult task of trying to squeeze him into one of the best infields in the sport. While this isn’t easy, it can certainly happen with the right moves being made.

While Lawlar has yet to play in MLB this season, we’ve received a decent idea of how the D-Backs may use him. During a press conference on May 12, Lovullo said the following regarding Lawlar’s playing time.

There’s gonna be some playing time here for him, this is his opportunity. He’s going to get some spins at third, second, short, and give guys days off. What that means, and how many games that totals a week, I don’t know, but he’s a very impactful player.

Given this quote, it’s clear the D-Backs intend to experiment a little with Lawlar, and give him more opportunities outside of just playing shortstop. 

To me, it feels logical that the D-Backs could utilize the DH spot a little more in order to integrate Lawlar into the lineup, especially since Pavin Smith has cooled down in May. Although his wRC+ on the season sits at an incredible 175 mark, he’s posted a wRC+ of just 94 so far in May.

At the very least, the team could give Smith a day or two off and give the DH spot to someone else on the diamond. To me, it makes the most sense for this to be Eugenio Suarez, as he’s registered a -5 OAA at third base this season. With Lawlar possessing a good glove, he could occasionally play third base while Suarez moves to DH.

In addition to this, Ketel Marte has the ability to play the outfield, freeing up second base some more as well. Although Marte has appeared almost exclusively at second base since 2021, this is still a potential workaround. If this is a viable solution, either Perdomo or Lawlar could play second base while the other takes on the shortstop position.

It feels like Lawlar will be playing about two-thirds of the time, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it could mean his role will be filling in where he’s needed during days off. For example, if Marte needs a day off, he’ll start at second. Meanwhile, if Perdomo needs a day off at shortstop, he’ll fill in there. It almost becomes a “plug-and-play” scenario for the D-Backs, as Lawlar can fill in when and where he’s needed.

As for where we may see Lawlar hit in the lineup, I expect to see him likely fitting into the 7-9 holes. It would make sense for him to see time at the top of the order, but due to how well the top of the order is currently performing, at-bats that high may be harder to come by.

By using Lawlar in the 7-9 hole range, this also gives him the ability to still use his speed. For example, he could get on base while batting ninth, leaving a speedy runner on first base for Corbin Carroll. If Carroll continues to be the extra-base hit threat he’s been, this could be a simple route to scoring.

It may be challenging to find Lawlar consistent playing time during the 2025 season, which is to be expected considering the success of the lineup. However, the important part is that Lawlar will be getting experience in the big leagues, helping in his development, and better acclimating him for when a full-time role comes his way.

Lawlar is one of the more talented prospects in baseball, and seeing him finally get to showcase his talents in MLB will be very exciting for all.