Lawrence Butler
#4 RF · Athletics
Height
6'3"
Weight
210 lbs
Age
25
College
N/A
Draft
2018, Rd 6, #173
Experience
3 yrs
Bats/Throws
L/R
D+
C
D
—
Fan Verdict
Grade this player:
Career StatsC
| Year | Team | GP | AVG | HR | RBI | OPS | SB | H |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career |  | 344 | 0.23777403 | 49 | 139 | 0.71928656 | 44 | 282 |
Current Contract
Length
7 years
Total Value
$65.5M
Guaranteed
$39.3M
AAV
$9.4M/yr
Guaranteed %60%
Performance Analysis
C
FCA+
Lawrence Butler grades as an All-Star caliber performer among MLB right fielders, earning a B+ Performance grade. He is hitting with a 0.242 batting average and a 0.732 OPS (near the league average of .720) this season. With 47 home runs and 130 RBI through 319 games (a 24-HR, 66-RBI pace over a full season), he brings moderate power to the lineup. His 40 stolen bases add an elite speed dimension that creates additional offensive value. As a young developing player at 25, Lawrence is a key contributor for the Athletics. A 319-game sample provides high confidence in this grade.
Fan & Media Sentiment
D
Negative
NegativeNeutralPositive
The public perception surrounding Lawrence Butler sits in deeply skeptical territory right now, with the narrative driven almost entirely by health uncertainty rather than anything he's done between the lines. The central story is his delayed spring debut, which has sparked pointed questions about his Opening Day availability and, more broadly, his durability as a 25-year-old who should be hitting his developmental stride as a third-year player. The Athletics' notably cautious approach — described as extensive behind-the-scenes preparation rather than a standard ramp-up — reads to outside observers as an organizational hedge, not a confidence signal, and the media has framed it accordingly. That skepticism compounds an already middling on-field narrative: Butler's performance grades out at a C, meaning there's no reservoir of goodwill or proven production to cushion the public's doubt about his availability. Meanwhile, the Athletics' recent roster activity — adding Brent Rooker in right field, acquiring catcher Jonah Heim, and making multiple depth signings — signals that the front office has been actively filling roster spots regardless of Butler's timeline, which subtly reinforces the perception that he isn't being treated as a lock for a meaningful role right now. With the Athletics sitting at 18-17 and holding the second seed in the AL West, the organizational urgency is real, which makes Butler's uncertain status feel more consequential than it might on a team without playoff positioning to protect. The narrative is trending modestly upward from its recent floor, but until Butler actually takes the field in spring, the default posture from media and fans alike will remain one of doubt rather than belief.
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About this player
Lawrence Butler is a player in his 3rd MLB season listed at RF for the Athletics. FanVerdicts maintains four independent grades for every MLB player on an active roster — Contract Value Index for the deal itself, Performance for on-field production, Sentiment for media and fan reaction, and Fan Verdict for community voting. Current grades for Lawrence Butler: Contract Value Index D+, Performance C, Sentiment D, Fan Verdict pending.
Every grade refreshes on its own cadence as new data lands. Performance recalculates when MLB game stats post; Sentiment updates with new media coverage and fan discussion; Contract Value Index recomputes when contract terms change; Fan Verdict reflects live community voting on this profile. Contract details below show the structure (years, total value, average annual value, guarantees) the Contract Value Index grade is computed against.
For league-wide context, the MLB hub has team rankings, GM report cards, the transactions feed, and live scoreboards. The MLB player rankings page sorts every active player by performance and contract value within their position.