Tim Tawa
{{Short description|American baseball player (born 1999)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name = Tim Tawa
|image = Tim Tawa (41341796045) (cropped).jpg
|caption = Tawa at Stanford in 2018
|team = Arizona Diamondbacks
|number = 13
|position = Second baseman
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1999|4|7}}
|birth_place = West Linn, Oregon, U.S.
|bats = Right
|throws = Right
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate = April 5
|debutyear = 2025
|debutteam = Arizona Diamondbacks
|statleague = MLB
|statyear = June 18, 2025
|stat1label = Batting average
|stat1value = .225
|stat2label = Home runs
|stat2value = 6
|stat3label = Runs batted in
|stat3value = 14
|teams =
- Arizona Diamondbacks ({{mlby|2025}}–present)
}}
Timothy John Tawa (born April 7, 1999) is an American professional baseball second baseman for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2025.
Amateur career
Tawa attended West Linn High School in West Linn, Oregon. He played quarterback and set Oregon state records with 11,337 passing yards, 143 touchdown passes and 714 completions. As a senior, he won a state championship over Central Catholic High School. He shared a backfield with running back Elijah Molden.{{cite news |title=West Linn (Ore.) quarterback Tim Tawa ends record-setting career with state title |url=https://www.usatodayhss.com/story/sports/high-school/2016/12/03/west-linn-ore-quarterback-tim-tawa-ends-record-setting-career-with-state-title/76998696007/ |access-date=April 8, 2025 |work=USA TODAY High School Sports |publisher=USA Today}} Alex Forsyth was an offensive lineman for Tawa throughout their youth and high school football careers.{{cite news |last1=Thorburn |first1=Ryan |title=Double vision |url=https://www.registerguard.com/story/sports/college/football/2018/08/11/double-vision/10977144007/ |access-date=April 8, 2025 |work=The Register-Guard |date=August 11, 2018}} His head coach at West Linn was Chris Miller.{{cite news |title=West Linn eyes state title in Chris Miller's 2nd year as coach |url=https://www.usatodayhss.com/2015/west-linn-eyes-state-title-in-chris-millers-2nd-year-as-coach |access-date=April 8, 2025 |work=USA TODAY High School Sports |publisher=USA Today |date=September 3, 2015}} Tawa was named Gatorade's Player of the Year in Oregon for football three times and in baseball one time.{{cite news |last1=Gardner |first1=Hayes |title=Athlete of the year Tim Tawa off to Stanford following remarkable run at West Linn |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/highschoolsports/article/the-oregonianoregonlives/ |access-date=April 8, 2025 |work=The Oregonian |date=August 9, 2017 |language=en}} He was also named the MaxPreps Male High School Athlete of the Year.{{cite news |last1=Stephens |first1=Mitch |title=2016-17 MaxPreps Male High School Athlete of the Year: Tim Tawa |url=https://www.maxpreps.com/news/nadZmvgxKk-8di8KSe13DA/2016-17-maxpreps-male-high-school-athlete-of-the-year-tim-tawa.htm |access-date=April 8, 2025 |publisher=MaxPreps |date=June 27, 2017 |language=en}}
Tawa attended Stanford University, where he played college baseball for the Stanford Cardinal.https://www.milb.com/reno/news/tim-tawa-embraces-diamondbacks-belief-in-his-future He chose to play only baseball in college because he liked the sport more than football and he felt he was "more projectable" as a professional baseball player.{{cite news |last1=Rayburn |first1=Jacob |title=After historic prep career, Tim Tawa ready to play baseball at Stanford |url=https://stanford.rivals.com/news/after-historic-prep-career-tim-tawa-ready-to-play-baseball-at-stanford |access-date=April 8, 2025 |publisher=Rivals.com |date=June 14, 2017 |language=en}} In 2019, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Falmouth Commodores of the Cape Cod Baseball League.{{cite web|url=https://baseball.pointstreak.com/player.html?playerid=1321554&%3Bseasonid=31871 |title=Tim Tawa |publisher=pointstreak.com |accessdate=May 25, 2025}}
Professional career
The Arizona Diamondbacks selected Tawa in the 11th round, with the 318th overall selection, of the 2021 Major League Baseball draft.{{Cite web|title=Two-sport prep phenom Tim Tawa, now with Reno Aces, smashing path to big leagues|url=https://nevadasportsnet.com/news/reporters/two-sport-prep-phenom-tim-tawa-now-with-reno-aces-smashing-path-to-big-leagues|access-date=December 12, 2024|website=nevadasportsnet.com|language=en}} He split his first professional season between the rookie–level Arizona Complex League Diamondbacks and Single–A Visalia Rawhide, hitting .269 with six home runs, 22 RBI, and 14 stolen bases across 38 total games.{{Cite web|title=Tim Tawa Stats & Scouting Report|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/players/7745-tim-tawa/stats/|access-date=December 12, 2024| website=baseballamerica.com|language=en}}
Tawa spent the 2022 season with the High–A Hillsboro Hops and Double–A Amarillo Sod Poodles, accumulating a .239/.331/.369 batting line with 13 home runs, 53 RBI, and 11 stolen bases over 118 appearances.{{Cite web|title=Diamondbacks Top Prospects #27: Tim Tawa|url=https://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/prospects/diamondbacks-top-prospects-27-infielder-tim-tawa|access-date=December 12, 2024|website=si.com|language=en}} He returned to Amarillo in 2023, playing in 116 games and hitting .256/.338/.461 with 22 home runs, 75 RBI, and 11 stolen bases.{{Cite web|title=Diamondbacks Top Prospects #27: Tim Tawa|url=https://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/prospects/diamondbacks-top-prospects-27-infielder-tim-tawa|access-date=December 12, 2024|website=si.com|language=en}}
Tawa split the 2024 campaign between Double–A Amarillo and the Triple–A Reno Aces, slashing .279/.349/.519 with 31 home runs, 90 RBI, and 14 stolen bases.{{Cite web|title=A Glimpse at Tim Tawa, the D-backs Utility Man of the Future|url=https://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/arizona-diamondbacks-prospects/a-glimpse-at-tim-tawa-the-d-backs-utility-man-of-the-future-01j65pfbapdk|access-date=December 12, 2024|website=si.com|language=en}} On November 19, 2024, the Diamondbacks added Tawa to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.{{Cite web |last=Franco |first=Anthony |date=November 19, 2024 |title=D-Backs Select Tim Tawa, Joe Elbis |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/11/d-backs-select-tim-tawa-joe-elbis.html |access-date=November 21, 2024 |website=MLB Trade Rumors |language=en}}
The Diamondbacks optioned Tawa to Triple-A Reno to begin the 2025 season.{{Cite web|title=D-backs option Yilber Diaz, Cristian Mena to Triple-A|url=https://arizonasports.com/mlb/arizona-diamondbacks/yilber-diaz/3576498/|access-date=March 18, 2025|website=arizonasports.com|language=en}} On April 5, 2025, Tawa was promoted to the major leagues for the first time following an injury to Ketel Marte.{{Cite web|title=Diamondbacks Place Ketel Marte On 10-Day IL, Promote Tim Tawa|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/04/diamondbacks-place-ketel-marte-on-10-day-il-promote-tim-tawa.html|access-date=April 14, 2025|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}} He made his MLB debut that day against the Washington Nationals, and recorded his first career hit.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{baseballstats|mlb=694374|espn=4345192|br=t/tawati01|fangraphs=29571|brm=tawa--000tim}}
{{Arizona Diamondbacks roster navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tawa, Tim}}
Category:Arizona Complex League Diamondbacks players
Category:Arizona Diamondbacks players
Category:Amarillo Sod Poodles players
Category:Baseball players from Clackamas County, Oregon
Category:Falmouth Commodores players
Category:Hillsboro Hops players
Category:Major League Baseball second basemen
Category:Newport Gulls players
Category:People from West Linn, Oregon