Diamondbacks' Jordan Lawlar Looks to Break Out at the Plate

The former top prospect is switching to center field but needs to improve his hitting to earn an everyday role.

Feb. 22, 2026 at 5:49pm

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Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Jordan Lawlar, a former top prospect, is off to a promising start at the plate this spring training. Lawlar, who is switching to center field, hit a home run in his first plate appearance and is working to improve his plate discipline and ability to handle breaking pitches from right-handed pitchers, which gave him trouble last season. The Diamondbacks are counting on Lawlar to hit well and earn an everyday spot in the outfield, with several offensive questions surrounding the rest of the lineup.

Why it matters

Lawlar is a key part of the Diamondbacks' future, and the team is hoping he can break out and become a reliable everyday player in the outfield. His development at the plate will be crucial for a Diamondbacks lineup that needs offensive production from multiple sources.

The details

Lawlar finished Saturday's game 1-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout. He worked a full count before crushing a home run to left field in his first at-bat. Hitting coach Joe Mather said Lawlar is focusing on improving his plate discipline and ability to handle breaking pitches from right-handed pitchers, which gave him trouble last season when he struck out 34% of the time in 74 MLB plate appearances. Lawlar is getting most of his reps in center field this spring as the Diamondbacks look to fill a position of need.

  • Lawlar hit a home run in his first plate appearance of the 2026 spring training season on February 21, 2026.
  • Lawlar finished the 2025 season hitting .308 with an .851 OPS in 44 plate appearances in September.

The players

Jordan Lawlar

A 23-year-old outfielder for the Arizona Diamondbacks who is a former top prospect looking to break out at the plate and earn an everyday role.

Joe Mather

The hitting coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks who is working with Lawlar on improving his plate discipline and ability to handle breaking pitches.

Torey Lovullo

The manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks who is hoping Lawlar can become a consistent offensive contributor.

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What they’re saying

“Knowing where it needs to start is the key to handling the slider. The sliders at the big-league lever are really, really good. They look like a fastball for a long time and break off. He's going to have to find a queue, find that starting point. He's playing with some of those queues now, and he'll have a rolodex as he gets older. Right now it's picking up one queue at a time.”

— Joe Mather, Hitting Coach

“There's no doubt that right-on-right stuff is hard on right-handed hitters. It's (four-seamers) up with rip sliders, that seems to be a popular recipe. We want him to continue to control the zone, have good plate coverage, have awareness on the outer half, check off spin that isn't there. We've seen that in spurts.”

— Torey Lovullo, Manager

“Being athletic, that's my word this year. Whether it's outfield, infield, or in the box, I wanna use my athleticism. After that, it comes down to your plan, which is your approach, and your timing. When you iron those out and commit to something, good things happen.”

— Jordan Lawlar

What’s next

The Diamondbacks will continue to monitor Lawlar's progress at the plate throughout spring training as he looks to earn an everyday role in the outfield.

The takeaway

Lawlar's development at the plate will be crucial for the Diamondbacks this season, as the team looks to him to provide offensive production and solidify a position in the outfield. If Lawlar can improve his plate discipline and ability to handle breaking pitches, he could emerge as a key contributor for a Diamondbacks lineup that needs offensive consistency.