MLB Rumors: Jordan Lawlar to Be Called Up By Diamondbacks; Baseball's No. 10 Prospect

The Arizona Diamondbacks are in a tight race for a playoff spot in the National League, and they're reportedly injecting a dose of youth into their lineup.

According to Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic, the Diamondbacks are calling up shortstop Jordan Lawlar, the team's top prospect and the No. 10 overall prospect in the majors.

Piecoro reported that Arizona is likely to utilize Lawlar as its third baseman, largely due to a lack of production from the position throughout the 2023 season. The 21-year-old started his first game at third base on Tuesday night.

"Just trying to get him opportunities," Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen said Wednesday morning. "He's starting to swing the bat well. He's getting a decent number of at-bats underneath his belt. We wanted to open up an opportunity for him to come up here and impact us if he can."

Lawlar began the year playing Double-A ball before earning a promotion to Triple-A last month. He excelled in 16 games for Triple-A Reno, slashing .358/.438/.612 with fine home runs and 19 RBI.

The sixth overall pick in the 2021 MLB draft, Lawlar quickly proved himself to be skilled beyond his years. In 2022, he put up cumulative hitting numbers of .303/.401/.509 with 16 homers and 62 RBI. He earned a selection to the 2022 All-Star Futures Game alongside Corbin Carroll, who is currently starring for Arizona as one of the frontrunners for NL Rookie of the Year.

At 72-68 entering Thursday's four-game series opener against the Chicago Cubs, the Diamondbacks sit a half-game out of the final wild-card spot in the National League. Arizona is hoping to end a five-year playoff drought, so adding a player of Lawlar's caliber should be beneficial to the team's chances of achieving its goal.