D-backs' Jordan Lawlar Opens Up on Looming Position Change

Arizona Diamondbacks former No. 1 prospect Jordan Lawlar grew up playing multiple sports. On the football field, he was a wide receiver. During high school baseball, he spent some time in the outfield.

"Go catch the ball" was his mindset. Boiled down to his simplest form, he was an athlete; that's how he's approaching his transition from infield to outfield this spring.

"I feel athletic," he said. "That's kind of my theme this whole year is athletic, just be athletic. Whether it's outfield, infield, in the box, just let my athleticism work, and that's kind of how I feel right now."

How Diamondbacks' Jordan Lawlar is Approaching Position Change

Arizona Diamondbacks Jordan Lawlar catches a fly ball during spring training workouts at Salt River Fields on Feb. 13, 2026, in Scottsdale. | Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

For Lawlar, the first 10 days of spring training is going to be outfield work, before transitioning to a mixed "five and two" weekly workload: five days in the outfield, two in the infield. He's gotten quite familiar with D-backs outfield coach Dave McKay.

"Mac's awesome. I love Mac. One, he's a great human, and he's got 30, 40 years of experience, so it makes it even better. I've enjoyed going out [in the outfield], and Mac has something new every day, a drill that he institutes."

Lawlar said he does not carry a preference for where he plays. He simply wants to be on the field, contributing however possible for the D-backs.

"I want to be the best I can be for this team, and however I can help in my capacity and my ability to help us play in November, that's all that matters to me," he said. "So I'm going to work with our great coaches, our great support staff we have, and I'm ready to attack it head on.

"Just play. Play every day — that's my goal. It's my long-term goal, and that's what I'll do. ... I just want to be on the field," Lawlar said.

Of course, Lawlar is one of the few players on the roster outside of Geraldo Perdomo with significant experience at shortstop. If Arizona needs a backup shortstop, he's prepared to play on the dirt.

"I've done it in the big leagues. I've played it my whole life. If I need to play shortstop, I can play shortstop," Lawlar said.

Manager Torey Lovullo said he's aware of his lack of a clear-cut backup shortstop. He said there is a group of players capable, but that Lawlar is firmly one of them. Lovullo said getting Lawlar a chance to learn outfield basics from McKay was priority one, but that Arizona could migrate him to shortstop if the need arose.