Jordan

Lawlar

The second hit was a bunt single, after which Lawlar stole second base. This won’t add to Lawlar’s spring stats, but he’s off to a superb start and is the clear favorite to be the Diamondbacks’ Opening Day center fielder at this point.

Lawlar’s torrid spring continued in this one, punctuating a three-hit effort with an eighth-inning solo shot that left the bat at 104.1 mph and traveled 364 feet, per Statcast. The 23-year-old top prospect hasn’t yet translated his minor-league resume into sustained big-league production across a few abbreviated stints, but the tools have never been the question. With Arizona evaluating him as a potential everyday option in center field, a strong spring could force the issue for an Opening Day roster spot. In shallow mixed leagues, we’ve reached wait-and-see territory — but this is the type of elite talent that tends to resurface the moment consensus drifts too far toward doubt.

Lawlar took Valente Bellozo for his first homer of the spring. The 23-year-old made the move to the outfield this spring, and he’s certainly athletic enough to handle playing in center; the spot he played Saturday against the Rockies. Lawlar has enormous offensive upside, but he’s a tough trust for the 2026 season.

Lawlar has made the move to the outfield, likely for good, after displaying persistent defensive issues at third base last year. The arrival of legendary defensive wizard Nolan Arenado earlier this offseason didn’t help matters either. The 23-year-old former top prospect has posted some gaudy offensive numbers in extremely hitter-friendly environments in the upper minors but hasn’t produced at the highest level yet. He’ll need a strong performance this spring if he’s going to have any hope of breaking camp in the majors. He can be ignored in most fantasy leagues for the moment.

Gurriel had ACL surgery in September so Opening Day would be about a six-month recovery. It shouldn’t be a surprise that it’s an unrealistic return date, but there have been social media posts stating that it’s his goal, so it’s worth mentioning. The Diamondbacks will have a couple outfield spots to fill on opening day, which could be good news for Jordan Lawlar’s chances to finally crack the roster.

After trading Blaze Alexander to the Orioles on Thursday, the Diamondbacks opened the door for Lawlar or Tim Tawa to get starts in left field. Lawlar had previously been only an infielder as a prospect, but he played center field during winter ball and seems to be moving to the outfield in 2026. “You’re going to see him work in the infield some as we move into spring training,” explained Hazan. “I think the majority of his work is going to come in the outfield.” The 23-year-old top prospect battled through injuries in 2025 and failed to produce in his brief MLB at-bats, but continued to show good skills in the minors and could finally get a shot this season.

With Ramón Urías and Jorge Mateo gone, the Orioles needed a utilityman, and Alexander can hit lefties and play quality defense. He spent a chunk of last year as the D-backs’ third baseman and finished at .230/.323/.383 in 266 plate appearances, albeit with an ugly 32% strikeout rate. Alexander figures to play second base over Jackson Holliday against tough lefties, and he could also log some outfield time if players get hurt. His departure from Arizona would seem to increase the chances of Jordan Lawlar breaking camp with the team, but we assume there’s still more to come from the Diamondbacks.

Maybe the D-backs really don’t think Jordan Lawlar can play. It won’t require much talent to bring in Arenado; it’s mostly just a matter of how much of the contract they’d have to absorb. If something gets done, then there’s a good chance Lawlar will return to Triple-A. The Cardinals would be clearing room for top prospect J.J. Wetherholt, but they’d probably start off the season with Nolan Gorman or Thomas Saggese at third base.

Both players are arbitration-eligible, so this would be a move to free up salary cap space; however, Piecoro also notes that the Diamondbacks believe they have plenty of options to move into that vacated outfield role, including Jorge Barossa, Tim Tawa, Blaze Alexander, and even Jordan Lawlar, who has been playing center field this winter. Nothing is imminent, but this remains a story to watch because of what it could mean for Lawlar or Tawa’s playing time.

The Diamondbacks have struggled to get Lawlar on the field consistently in the infield, so this move is noteworthy. The team has Ketel Marte locked in at second base and just signed shortstop Geraldo Perdomo to a multi-year deal. With Blaze Alexander showing intriguing upside at third base, the Diamondbacks may be exploring the idea of turning the page on Alek Thomas and playing Jordan Lawlar in centerfield. It will be a situation to monitor in Spring Training.