SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- It appears that Jordan Lawlar has found a home for himself in the Diamondbacks’ outfield.
Lawlar was selected with the sixth overall pick in the 2021 Draft as a high school shortstop, and it's been quite a journey since then for the 23-year-old. There have been injuries that have cost him parts of seasons, three separate big-league callups without a clear path to playing time, and now a position switch.
As Geraldo Perdomo began establishing himself as a franchise cornerstone at shortstop in 2024, the Diamondbacks began to look at other positions for Lawlar.
During his two callups in 2025, he played third base, and while he initially looked good at the position, he had some defensive hiccups in September that prompted manager Torey Lovullo to use him mainly in the designated hitter spot.
This winter, the Diamondbacks asked him to go to the Dominican Republic for a few weeks and play some center field and left, which he did.
It was his first taste of the outfield since travel ball, but he played it well enough that with Perdomo at short and the addition of third baseman Nolan Arenado via trade this winter, the Diamondbacks have had him playing center this spring.
Does he enjoy the outfield?
"I enjoy playing every day," Lawlar said with a smile. "I played all the sports growing up, and it kind of reminds me of like a slot receiver in football -- run your route and go track the ball down."
Lawlar worked briefly with Arizona outfield coach Dave McKay before heading to winter ball, and he has done even more with him this spring.
McKay is among the most respected teachers of outfield play in the game, known for being able to get the best out of a player's ability, and Lawlar has plenty of tools. The fact that he hasn't played much outfield, in McKay's mind, is a plus because Lawlar can be taught the right way to play it from the start.
"He's bought into it and he's doing exactly what you tell him to do," McKay said. "He's got a real good arm and he's just getting better and better and better."
Lovullo likes what he's seen from Lawlar in center so far this spring, and now that they are comfortable with how he looks there, they are going to get him some reps in left field.
Given the Diamondbacks’ roster construction, Lovullo would also like to see Lawlar at shortstop to see if he could indeed back up in that spot if needed.
"Lawlar looks really good in center field," Lovullo said. "What we've talked about is potentially moving him to a corner, seeing what that looks like. You know, we're still trying to determine the amount of shortstop that we want to see him play in case of an emergency or situation in a game that we need to put him at short. So, there's a few things we're juggling there."
Regardless, with Lourdes Gurriel Jr. expected to be out until at least mid-April due to knee surgery, it looks like Lawlar is all but certain to make the Opening Day roster and get some regular playing time, something that he did not get in his first three promotions.
Lawlar does not use playing time as an excuse, nor does he complain about it.
"It's about just taking the opportunities you're given and doing the most you can with them," he said. "That's kind of the idea that I've always had with wherever I'm playing."