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The Arizona Diamondbacks’ Torey Lovullo is entering his 10th season as manager.
The Arizona Diamondbacks are in crisis mode with the current state of their outfield. The team is already without left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr., who is rehabbing from an ACL tear suffered last season. But the recent injury news on Corbin Carroll further exacerbates their lack of outfield depth.
With the team desperate for solutions, they may have to employ some “outside the box” measures to fill their lineup. Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo told reporters, including Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports, that Jordan Lawlar will get reps in center field.
This comes on the heels of general manager Mike Hazen commenting that Lawlar will play more outfield in 2026. The former shortstop has seen his path to playing time blocked at his position after Geraldo Perdomo signed an extension and broke out offensively in 2025. Arizona tried to move Lawlar around the infield, but he struggled defensively at both second and third base.
Despite his struggles, he was tentatively penciled in as the Diamondbacks’ top option at third base. That changed when the club traded for Nolan Arenado. With no path to playing time on the infield, that means he’ll have to find a way to stick in center to get regular playing time.
A position change from shortstop to center field isn’t uncommon. Most recent examples include Jackson Merrill of the Padres and Oneil Cruz of the Pirates. Lawlar’s situation is not too dissimilar from Merrill’s.
Diamondbacks Outfield Situation Entering 2026
Carroll’s injury not only potentially delays the start to his season, but it could linger afterward. The injury has a four to eight-week recovery timeline, putting Opening Day in doubt.
That leaves the Diamondbacks scrambling to cover right field. The other outfielders on their camp roster include Jorge Barrosa, Alek Thomas, Kristian Robinson, Ryan Waldschmidt, and A.J. Vukovich. Robinson has the most experience playing right field of this group.
With Jordan Lawlar expected to take over in center, that also displaces Thomas. Thomas has been Arizona’s primary center fielder since his MLB debut in 2022, but he’s struggled to hit. The 25-year-old owns a career slash line of .234/.277/.362 over 1,385 plate appearances. As a left-handed swinger, Thomas profiles better as a fourth outfielder moving forward.
The Blaze Alexander trade and the Carroll injury leave a pretty extensive runway for Lawlar to play. The former top prospect should get consistent playing time for the first time at the major league level. The Diamondbacks need to know what Lawlar brings offensively before their next contention window opens up.
Carroll’s injury also opens the door for top prospect Ryan Waldschmidt to break camp. Waldschmidt is a consensus Top 100 prospect, which brings the Prospect Promotion Incentive into the equation. The Diamondbacks could receive draft pick compensation should he make the club and win the 2026 National League Rookie of the Year award.
He’s only played one season in the minors, but it was a great year. Between High-A Hillsboro and Double-A Amarillo, the right-handed-hitting outfielder slashed .289/.419/.473 with 18 home runs and 29 stolen bases. FanGraphs estimated his offense to be about 42% better than the league-average hitter, with a 142 wRC+.
The Diamondbacks will be thin in the outfield to start 2026. The hope is that their young depth, including Lawlar and Waldschmidt, can fill that hole and push the club forward.
Michael McDermott Michael McDermott is a writer at Heavy Sports covering the Arizona Diamondbacks and Major League Baseball. Michael has 10 years experience writing about the D-backs and their farm system for AZ Snake Pit, Burn City Sports, and Diamondbacks On SI. More about Michael McDermott
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