Diamondbacks top prospects Jordan Lawlar, Yu-Min Lin close to return from injuries

PHOENIX — Arizona Diamondbacks top overall prospect Jordan Lawlar and pitching prospect Yu-Min Lin are nearing returns to game action from injuries. Both could be playing minor league baseball within three weeks, D-backs farm director Shaun Larkin explained.

As the D-backs are getting closer to getting key players back from the injured list, so is the farm system.

Lawlar went on the 60-day IL (MiLB) on March 28 with a ruptured UCL tendon in his right thumb.

The shortstop has been getting at-bats at Salt River Fields, and the plan is for him to jump into complex league games next week.

“He’s gonna play in games starting next week at the complex and then he’ll check off some of those points,” Larkin told Arizona Sports on Saturday. “Then in about two-to-two-and-a-half or so weeks he should be full-go at the affiliate in Reno.”

Lawlar did not make the MLB club out of spring training with Geraldo Perdomo the starter and the organization wanting to see him get everyday reps. Both shortstops have been injured for most of the season, but their timelines are not far off from each other.

The D-backs called up Lawlar last September as they pushed toward the postseason.

Yu-Min Lin injury update

Lin had a freak injury, taking a foul ball to the face in the dugout while playing for Double-A Amarillo. He went on the IL on April 27.

Larkin said Lin threw a live bullpen on Friday up to 45 pitches with two more on the schedule.

“That will put him at six-weeks post operation on his jaw. After that on (June 14) he is scheduled for five (innings) and 75 (pitches) which ideally will happen in Amarillo. We’ll determine that when it gets there so we’re talking about middle of June.”

Lin said during spring training his goal was to make the major leagues by the end of the season. He threw 18 innings over four starts before the injury.

D-backs top pitching prospect Yu-Min Lin threw a couple scoreless innings in tonight’s Spring Breakout game.

His goal is to reach the major leagues by the end of the season. pic.twitter.com/JajBOSuJrl

— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) March 17, 2024

Tommy Troy progressing

Shortstop Tommy Troy, Arizona’s No. 2 prospect, has been on the IL since April 26 with a strained hamstring. He has been taking live at-bats, Larkin said, but the organization is being conservative with his running program.

“I think we’re expecting between two to three weeks before full return. So middle part of June, we expect him to be fully back and ready to go. Just want to make sure when he does break, he’s fully healthy.”

Outfield prospect Jorge Barrosa, who made his MLB debut this season, is on a rehab assignment with the complex league, per MiLB transactions.

These progressions are a sigh of relief for Larkin, who in his first year as farm director has had to manage without seeing some of the top names in the system for extended periods.

“There are a lot of guys coming back who are on the mend,” Larkin said. “It’s good, it sort of stabilizes their teams, rosters, gets going where we intended to start to the year and gets guys in positions they belong. … Don’t want to jinx it. As we talk about these things, we start having more options on how these things start to unfold for each team how they’re constructed. Having options finally, or at least approaching, feels good.”

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