Top D-backs prospect Lawlar to miss months after thumb surgery
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D-backs top prospect Jordan Lawlar, MLB Pipeline's No. 11 overall prospect, will undergo right thumb surgery that will sideline him for a couple of months.
Lawlar had been reassigned to Minor League camp on March 10 after a 3-for-17 showing in Major League Spring Training. He was set to start the season with Triple-A Reno.
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"It was just a freak injury," D-backs GM Mike Hazen said. "I don't have an exact exact timeframe. It's going to be a little bit of time missed obviously. It was unfortunate. We’ll miss him for sure because he’s a dynamic player and he’s one of the guys we’re banking on at some point this year.”
Lawlar made his MLB debut last season on Sept. 7, accruing 36 plate appearances across 14 regular-season games and three postseason games. The 21-year-old -- the No. 6 pick in the 2021 Draft out of high school -- received plus grades from MLB Pipeline on all five tools and ranked in the 99th percentile in sprint speed in MLB in 2023.
Geraldo Perdomo is set to start at shortstop for the D-backs in 2024, but Lawlar could crack the big league roster later in the season once healthy.