The Athletic’s top 60 prospects list includes Diamondbacks’ Jordan Lawlar, Druw Jones

The Athletic released its midpoint top 60 MLB prospects list on Thursday, and two Arizona Diamondbacks made the list.

The D-backs’ Jordan Lawlar, who has reminded some scouts of Derek Jeter, is the No. 4 overall prospect.

Lawlar would be the No. 2 prospect on the list, but he’s played just 13 games in 2024 and suffered his third significant injury of the season, reaggravating the hamstring injury he suffered while rehabbing from a torn thumb ligament. He’s probably going to miss 90 percent of the season. Availability is a skill, and Lawlar has also missed a ton of development time this year. He’s still Arizona’s top prospect and has MVP-level upside, but I think it’s fair, at this point, to question his durability.

The shortstop is still only 22 years old but has struggled mightily through a string of injuries this year.

His latest injury came when he re-injured his left hamstring running from first to third base in a rehab game on July 8. After the injury occurred, he was expected to miss the next 6-8 weeks, according to D-backs manager Torey Lovullo.

Injuries have limited Lawlar to 13 games between Triple-A Reno and the Arizona Complex League this season.

The sixth-overall pick in 2021 also tore a ligament in his thumb at the end of spring training this year and spent more than two months on the injured list.

He made his return to Triple-A Reno on June 11 and in four games went 8-for-20 with four extra-base hits, playing shortstop and third base. However, he suffered a strained left hamstring on a game-tying triple in the ninth inning of the fourth game.

Lawlar is the No. 8 prospect in Major League Baseball, via MLB Pipeline. He slashed .278/.378/.496 with 20 home runs and 36 stolen bases in the minor leagues last season (between Double-A Amarillo and Triple-A).

Lawlar spent a short time with the major league squad in 2023 after Nick Ahmed was cut, but he was unable to maintain a regular role in the lineup after he tallied four hits and 11 strikeouts in the 34 plate appearances he saw over 14 games.

The D-backs’ Druw Jones was ranked as the No. 28 overall prospect on the list.

Jones, the son of former Atlanta Braves outfielder Andruw Jones, recently represented the D-backs at the 2024 MLB All-Star Futures Game and finished the game with three walks in four at-bats, including an RBI.

Jones is quietly having one of the biggest comeback seasons in the minors; last year was a lost campaign with multiple injuries and very disappointing production when he did play, but after starting the year 4 for 31 with 21 strikeouts, he hasn’t stopped hitting. Since that stretch ended with a five-strikeout game, he’s hit .293/.418/.445 and has brought his strikeout rate down to 25 percent, which is pretty close to the hitter we thought he’d be out of high school but with less game power so far.

He is the No. 77 prospect in Major League Baseball, via MLB Pipeline.

Jones has also dealt with his share of injuries during his young career. The second overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft tore his labrum during his first batting practice with Single-A Visalia in 2022 and was sidelined last season by a right quadriceps injury. He also suffered a hamstring injury while rehabbing as well.

The 20-year-old is slashing .273/.390/.406 with a .796 OPS, 13 doubles and five home runs for Single-A Visalia this season.

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