Diamondbacks Facing Eugenio Suarez Decision After Jordan Lawlar Call Up

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Zach Kaplan | Last updated May 12, 2025 1:50 PM ET

The Diamondbacks announced they'd be calling up No. 1 prospect Jordan Lawlar on Monday after a strong start to his season at Triple-A Reno.

Lawlar made his MLB debut in September 2023, hitting just .129 in 14 games, and spent all of 2024 in the minors. After not making the roster in 2025 out of spring training, Lawlar forced the issue, hitting .336 with an OPS near 1.000 in 37 games with Reno.

Manager Torey Lovullo said the main challenge is getting Lawlar, who has played shortstop, third and second into semi-consistent big league action.

On any other team, Lawlar's versatility wouldn't be an issue, but the Diamondbacks have Eugenio Suarez (117 wRC+), Geraldo Perdomo (138 wRC+) and Ketel Marte (154 wRC+).

Pavin Smith has held it down at DH, with a stellar 175 wRC+, and Josh Naylor has a solid 125 wRC+ at first base, where Lawlar has limited experience.

The Diamondbacks have a tough decision to make, as Lovullo gave a target of four games per week for Lawlar to fuel his development.

Suarez is the most obvious candidate to see changed playing time following Lawlar's call-up. While his 12 home runs are tied for 2nd in the National League, his .205 average leaves a lot to be desired, and out of the above players, Suarez's wRC+ is the lowest.

Suarez is also a free agent after 2025, so the Diamondbacks might prioritize Lawlar's development as a future player depending on how Lawlar performs in his second big league stint.

With that being said, it seems unlikely one specific player gets a marked decrease in their playing time.

Lawlar might serve as a luxury that affords players like Suarez, Naylor and Perdomo a day off every now and then to get Lawlar big league reps.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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