Lawlar's AFL campaign ends with injury

One of the most promising prospects in this year’s Arizona Fall League has seen his autumn cut short.

No. 3 D-backs prospect Jordan Lawlar suffered a fractured left scapula on a hit-by-pitch on Friday and will be out for six to eight weeks, Arizona director of player development Josh Barfield confirmed to MLB.com. The Arizona Republic first reported the news Monday night.

Lawlar had been hitting .278/.469/.528 with two homers, four steals and 11 walks in 11 games with Salt River before suffering the injury.

It’s the second shoulder issue the 20-year-old shortstop has experienced since being taken sixth overall out of a Texas high school in 2021. He suffered a posterior labrum tear in the same left shoulder just one month after being drafted and needed surgery to address it.

Lawlar recovered in time to open his first full season with Single-A Visalia and ended up at two higher levels, topping out at Double-A Amarillo in 2022. He finished with a .303/.401/.509 slash line with 16 homers and 39 steals in 100 games across stints with four D-backs affiliates. He had also missed time with a benign growth in his right rib, prompting a rehab assignment in the Arizona Complex League, and part of his move to the Fall League was to make up for some of the missed at-bats.

Ranked as MLB.com’s No. 12 overall prospect, Lawlar shows the potential for five above-average to plus tools as a shortstop and right-handed hitter. He is expected to be ready for Spring Training, and once healthy, he’ll continue to be a key part of a young and burgeoning Arizona system that also boasts No. 3 overall prospect Corbin Carroll, 2022 second overall pick Druw Jones and 2022 Minor League strikeout leader Brandon Pfaadt.