Tim Tawa entered the picture as a long shot for the Diamondbacks’ 2025 roster, but the early signs were there for anyone willing to look past the label.
He had already flashed real pop in the minors. In 2024, Tawa spent time in Amarillo and Reno and launched 31 homers across those levels.
Only three players in any franchise’s minor-league system hit more. He also bounced around the field, appearing at seven positions, though he was still viewed more as an infielder than an outfielder, with 109 games in the infield and 31 in the outfield.
That winter, FanGraphs had him as Arizona’s 21st-best prospect, a ranking low enough that any major-league success would have counted as a pleasant surprise. Even then, there were clues that his bat might play. A comment on Jim McLennan’s article from 1AZfan1 pointed to his 49.1% hard-hit rate and 91.1 MPH average exit velocity in Reno.
The first major-league test came quickly. Tawa was called up on 5 April to play second base when Ketel Marte went on the injured list.
When Marte returned in May, Tawa shifted to first base and stayed there until just before the All-Star break. His OPS sat at .729 in April and climbed to .773 in May.
He got another look in September, this time in the outfield.
This season, the production has kept moving in the right direction. Through 22 August, Tawa’s OPS had improved every month, and his .818 mark in August was better than the .712 league average.
The role has broadened, too. He has played six positions, with his time now split roughly evenly between the infield and outfield. His defense has been above average at first base and left field, and his Outs Above Average across all positions placed him in the 72nd percentile.
There are also a few team-level markers that stand out. Among Diamondbacks players this season, his 85.4 MPH arm strength ranked second best. His combined total of nine bunt hits and sacrifice flies was tied with Barrosa for second best, behind Perdomo’s 12 through 20 August.
At the plate, the picture is a little more nuanced. Ben Clemens’ pocket guide uses five fundamental measures to judge batting ability, and Tawa cleared average in all five.
He was one of four batters who did that. But Clemens also laid out why that still adds up to an average hitter rather than an above-average one:
“Tawa, for example, is an eighth of a standard deviation above average for air pull rate, an eighth of a standard deviation above average for air exit velocity, and 0.03 standard deviations above average in bad swing rate (above here being the good way). Technically, he’s above average at everything. But in practice, he’s basically average at everything, and those two things aren’t the same.” - Ben Clemens
Even so, Tawa’s value goes well beyond the bat. He brings positional flexibility, above-average defense and arm strength, pinch-hitting skill, RBIs, and those bunt hits and sacrifice flies that add up over time. He’s also 27, still pre-arb, under team control through 2031, and has not yet reached his batting peak.
In a May 2026 interview, Tawa described the mindset behind his work in the box. He said preparation matters, and that he works with both the mental skills staff and the hitting staff. On pinch-hit chances, he put it plainly:
“…Every time I go up there [as a pinch hitter] I’m expecting to make a positive impact and do that. But the reality is that it’s just not going to happen [every time].” - Tim Tawa
What started as a dark-horse roster case has turned into something more substantial. Tawa has already filled in at second base, first base, and in the outfield, kept improving at the plate, and shown enough defensive versatility to make himself useful in a lot of different ways.
In Other News...
Merrill Kelly Just Put A Frustrating D-Backs Loss In A New Light
Merrill Kellys postgame comments added a fresh layer to an already frustrating night for the Diamondbacks, one that ended with him allowing three earned runs and five hits. After the game, Kelly pointed to Cubs third-base coach Quintin Berry and accused him of relaying signs, drawing a sharp distinction between players trying to pick up information and a coach getting involved.
For Arizona, the issue goes beyond one unpleasant loss. Kelly said sign stealing is part of baseball, but he made clear he does not view a coachs role the same way, which is the kind of complaint that tends to linger well after the final out. It left the Diamondbacks with another layer of irritation to sort through, even as the larger concern remains how to move past a game that felt costly on the field and messier afterward. [Read more 🡒]
Starling Martes Return Carries Big Stakes For Arizonas Playoff Push
Starling Marte is edging closer to rejoining the lineup, and the timing could matter plenty for a Diamondbacks club trying to keep its postseason push on track. Manager Torey Lovullo said Marte is on schedule to come off the 10-day injured list early next week, with a possible return as soon as the series opener against the Phillies after being sidelined by left knee inflammation.
Marte has already been cleared to take batting practice, but Arizona is still proceeding carefully rather than rushing him back. Lovullo made clear the plan is to make sure Marte is healthy and ready to play before putting him back in the mix, a sensible approach with the stretch run tightening and every healthy bat carrying extra weight. [Read more 🡒]
Ketel Marte Nears Return As Diamondbacks Face A Bigger Question
Ketel Marte is expected to come off the 10-day injured list early next week, a welcome sign for a Diamondbacks club that has been waiting to get one of its most important hitters back in the mix. Marte landed on the shelf last Thursday because of inflammation in his left knee, and since then he has been rehabbing at Arizonas spring training complex while the team has tried to keep moving without him.
Torey Lovullo confirmed the update and also touched on Martes recent stretch away from the club, which included time on the restricted list for personal reasons before the knee issue added another layer to the absence. For Arizona, the timing matters because Martes return should help stabilize the lineup, even as the larger question remains how quickly he can get back to being the player the Diamondbacks have leaned on so heavily. [Read more 🡒]