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Catching up with Jordan Lawlar in the Arizona Fall League
Jordan Lawlar has played under the microscope since a strong summer circuit in 2020. The combination of tools and well-rounded game at shortstop made Lawlar a potential candidate to be one of the top picks in the 2021 Draft, ultimately being selected sixth overall by the Diamondbacks. He currently ranks second on our list of the Top 10 prospects in the organization.
He was hit with adversity immediately after signing for a $6.7 million bonus, which was a then team record in the slot era. Just two games into his professional career, Lawlar tore the posterior labrum in his left shoulder and needed surgery. When asked about the surgery and rehab process, he said, "That was pretty big adversity coming out of draft, first huge surgery, eight months of rehab. After that surgery, all you can think about is moving that arm again. You're not even worried about swinging the bat again, that step was big for me."
He had an unlikely source of inspiration for overcoming the injury, outfielder Corbin Carroll. Carroll had suffered a similar injury just two months prior. "It was nice to have Corbin [Carroll] ahead of me, so I would just ask him questions like 'is this normal, does that feel normal, how did that feel a couple months out' so it was nice to have him right ahead of me with the same kind of injury."
Lawlar was able to make a full recovery and played in 94 games between Low-A and AA. He put up some impressive numbers with Visalia, hitting .351 with a 1.050 OPS in 44 games. That earned a promotion to High-A Hillsboro, where he hit .288 with a .832 OPS in 30 games. He finished the season with AA Amarillo, a massive jump compared to where he started he started the season. Lawlar said, "Just being able to come out and continue that approach that I've had all year at the different levels and massive success, it's been amazing."
While Lawlar was able to make a full recovery from the shoulder injury, he missed three weeks of the season due to a benign bone growth in one of his ribs. To make up for some lost at-bats, the D-backs assigned him to the Arizona Fall League. When asked about the competition and environment of the Fall League, Lawlar said, "It's exciting, I enjoy coming to the field every day knowing that I face that kind of competition. Obviously I learned a lot from these guys and ask them questions, learning different thought processes, and just a great time."
In most of his games from high school and in the D-backs Minor League system, Lawlar has been the star player to watch. In the Fall League, which is showcasing many top prospects, he's had to share the spotlight with others. When asked about that, Lawlar's response was, "Every time I come on the field, I just try to play a baseball game. I don't really worry about what's happening outside, control what I can control. That's what I do best."
Every player has a routine when it comes to preparing for the game. For Lawlar, this is his routine. "It starts about 30 minutes before, in the clubhouse getting dressed, locking in with different music, making sure I shower and clean up. When I get out here, I do five different things I do as dynamic stretches and then I get into some static stretches."
When Lawlar steps into the box to face the opposing pitcher, his mindset is "Beat him, beat him as bad as I can, compete and win the battle". In a follow-up question, he says his swing is better when he's just reacting to what he sees as opposed to trying to guess what the pitcher is throwing. He will adjust his approach, but it's geared more towards the pitcher he's facing rather than the situation he finds himself in.
"I'd say it's more about the pitcher. I have different thoughts for different kinds of pitchers, it's more depending on the pitcher versus situation. Obviously with a guy on third base and one out you want to drive it in the air, that's just common baseball. As for my approach, it's more about the pitcher."
Lawlar's defense was not as crisp in Low-A, as evidenced by a .859 fielding percentage. In High-A and Double-A, it improved to .953 at each level. When asked how differently the fields played at each level, here was his answer. "Going from Low-A to Double-A, the field is a little bit better maintained and sometimes they're a little quicker. As you go higher up, the fields are going to get better". It's worth noting that in the California League, a lot of the parks are in drier climates similar to Arizona. Usually that means the infield will play a lot faster and that can lead to more errors.
As an infielder, Lawlar has received some coaching from Orlando Hudson in both in minor league camp and during the season. Hudson is a former three-time Gold Glove winner, twice with Arizona, who serves as a roving instructor for the player development staff. The advice he gave for Lawlar was "Just being smooth, being an athlete" on defense.
Base stealing is a big part of Lawlar's offensive game, with 39 stolen bases in 45 attempts. When asked what he looks for "There's always more to it, I'm always trying to find something to make him from a 1.2 to a 1.4. There's always something that moves, if you study the game long enough. I try to do as much work as I can". There aren't as many available camera angles for minor league players, so "you have to pick it up in the dugout, watching the pitcher when somebody is on first base. Good old baseball." Lawlar has worked with D-backs first base coach Dave McKay. Both he and Carroll were out in the back fields with McKay when they were rehabbing their injuries.
One more good year in the minors could catapult Lawlar into an everyday big league role at the end of the season. He'll likely start 2023 with Arizona's Double-A affiliate in Amarillo. His likely debut, barring injuries to Nick Ahmed and Geraldo Perdomo, will likely be around the end of August to get his feet wet in the big leagues ahead of the 2024 season.
