Jordan Lawlar, Tommy Troy among Diamondbacks on Baseball Prospectus top 101 prospects
Jan 16, 2024, 5:24 PM
(Jeremy Schnell/Arizona Sports)
Baseball Prospectus released its list of the top 101 prospects for 2024, and shortstop Jordan Lawlar headlined four Arizona Diamondbacks to make the cut.
Lawlar jumped 10 spots from No. 24 on Baseball Prospectus‘ 2023 list to No. 14. Diamondbacks 2023 first-rounder Tommy Troy ranked No. 35, left-handed pitcher Yu-Min Lin No. 74 and outfielder Druw Jones No. 81.
Jones was No. 33 ahead of last season, while Corbin Carroll was No. 6 and Brandon Pfaadt No. 83.
Lawlar finished 2023 in the tenth spot on MLB Pipeline’s top 100 list. The right-handed hitting, 21-year-old shortstop joined the major league clubhouse on Sept. 7 and remained on the active roster through Arizona’s run to the World Series.
Jordan Lawlar hasn’t missed a beat since his Triple-A promotion 😤
With this solo home run, MLB’s No. 10 prospect (@Dbacks) is slashing .357/.474/.786 in his first four games with the @Aces: pic.twitter.com/ugCnm768zh
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 19, 2023
His results were not quite there in his first cup of coffee despite months of tearing up the minors preluding his debut.
In 16 games with Triple-A Reno after getting promoted, Lawlar had a 1.050 OPS and five home runs. In 14 MLB games, he had a .335 OPS, going 4-for-31 at the plate. He had two plate appearances in the postseason, including a walk during the World Series.
Lawlar hit 36 home runs with 75 steals in the minor leagues over the past two seasons and is considered a future star by the organization.
Troy was the No. 12 overall pick out of Stanford last summer and played 23 games at High-A Hillsboro to get his feet wet in pro ball (.790 OPS). Troy was on the Golden Spikes Award watch list last season with the Cardinal. He played third base during his final year in college, but the D-backs are starting him off at shortstop.
Lin signed as an 18-year-old in 2021 from Taiwan. The southpaw with a plus changeup split time between Hillsboro and Double-A Amarillo last season, totaling a 3.86 ERA and 140 strikeouts in 121.1 innings pitched.
Yu-Min Lin faced 17 batters tonight. He struck out 13 of them 😱
The No. 10 @Dbacks prospect had everything working across five one-hit frames for the @HillsboroHops: pic.twitter.com/76DhOS67Pq
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) June 4, 2023
Jones has been limited to 29 games at Single-A Visalia in his pro career due to multiple injuries. He is 6-foot-4 with plus speed and athleticism, projects as a strong center fielder and has power from the right side. Jones received first overall pick buzz ahead of the 2022 draft but fell to Arizona at No. 2.
The son of Andruw Jones finished the 2023 season on a strong note, slashing .481/.611/.593 in 27 plate appearances in September for the Rawhide.
Druw Jones = back … and ripping game-winning dingers.
The second-ranked @Dbacks prospect sold out for a heater and MASHED his first pro homer to seal a @VisaliaRawhide victory: https://t.co/MKwKhEPkxJ pic.twitter.com/oNWDtmfABJ
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) August 25, 2023