OSAAtoday – Baseball Notebook: April 17

Rounding the bases

Many of you know that my eldest son, Tim Tawa, was called up to the major leagues with the Arizona Diamondbacks almost two weeks ago.

He collected a single on his first major league swing on April 12.

Last night, in Miami against the Marlins, he launched his first big league home run. 105 mph off the bat, the ball traveled 414 feet over the left-center field fence.

I was there, which is why this week’s report is sparse.

Tim was a schoolboy legend playing football and baseball for West Linn from 2014 through 2017. Over his high school career, he appeared in two 6A state championship baseball games, two in football and two in basketball for good measure.

The path to The Show, however, was anything but easy for Tim, who was 25 years old when he got the call (He has since turned 26). He spent four years playing for Stanford, sometimes starring, sometimes slumping and sometimes sidelined by both a shoulder injury and Covid. A freshman All-America for the Cardinal, by the time he was a senior, he was a fringe prospect. The DBacks took a flyer on him in the 11th round in the 2021 MLB draft.

Tim did well in the minors, including a stint in Hillsboro with the Hops, but he kind of stalled for a bit in AA. He spent parts of three years in Amarillo with the Sod Poodles. When he was promoted to AAA Reno late in August last year, he had become Amarillo’s career leader in home runs, hits, doubles, walks, runs scored and many other categories, an ignominious distinction most minor leaguers would prefer not having.

Before his call up to AAA last year, it seemed likely that his major league ambitions might never be realized. He put up numbers while playing every position but pitcher and catcher, but was plagued by inconsistency. Only late in his third year playing for Amarillo did he seem to break out, but by then – at age 25 – he was no longer considered a true prospect. He seemed destined to be a depth piece for the Diamondbacks’ organization and nothing more.

At Reno, however, he found his stroke. He launched 10 home runs in 29 games while hitting over .330 and led the Aces to the playoffs. This was in stark contrast to his disastrous first time in the Biggest Little City, when he hit less than .200 with no power after opening the 2024 season with the club before being demoted to AA after 10 forgettable games.

This season, Tim was considered a dark horse to break with the big club because of his positional versatility, but the Diamondbacks, a contender in the NL West, signed three older utility players with significant service time in the off-season and he was sent back to Reno.

Ten days ago, the best second baseman in baseball, Ketel Marte, strained a hamstring running out a 400-foot double. At the time, through six games at AAA, Tim was batting .390, with three home runs and 12 RBIs. Although there were more highly-touted prospects who could have been selected to keep second base warm until Marte’s return, Tim was tabbed.

The whole family was in DC less than 24 hours later to witness his first big league hit. In his first game, he scored a run and drove in one. It was heady stuff.

Since his debut, Tim has been alternating starts with one of those seasoned utility players, with some good (strong defense and a lot of RBIs) and some bad (not many hits). We did not know whether his time in the major leagues would last six days or 10 years, so when he earned the right to travel to Miami, where I grew up; I hopped on a flight, even though I knew my work would suffer.

Last night, in his first start in Miami, Tim struck out on three pitches in his first at-bat versus a young phenom. He did this with my sister’s family, two cousins and my best friend from high school in attendance. His second time up, he twice failed to get a bunt down before striking out again (just his fourth this year between AAA and Arizona in almost 50 plate appearances). So, in his third time up, when he went down 1-2, I didn’t have high hopes.

The pitcher hung a breaking ball. Tim didn’t miss. What a moment! And I was there!!!

The Diamondbacks head to Chicago next to take on the Cubs. I am flying home. Life on the road is expensive and I have responsibilities I can’t perpetually shrug off.

But I was there for the first hit in Washington. And I was there for the first homer in Miami. I admit to feeling guilty about this Notebook not being more comprehensive. But then I think about that ball soaring over the fence and the massive smile on my young man’s face.

It was all worth it to me.

From you, I ask for grace. And hope, if you have a youngster playing this great sport, that you and he draw inspiration from Tim’s story.

As for future Notebooks, I will do better.

Bat-hoefer?

Junior Roscoe Mithoefer launched a grand slam in back-to-back games for La Salle Prep.

The first came on April 10 versus Ridgeview. Five days later he struck again in a rout of Centennial. Over those two games, Mithoefer recorded five hits in seven at-bats with four runs scored.

If Mithoefer’s achievements weren’t dominating the headlines, LSP sophomore Evan Hamlin might have been garnering more of the spotlight. In those same two games, Hamlin had extra base hits that cleared the bases.

The Falcons won those games, 17-12 and 13-1, and currently sits 9-4 on the year.

News and notes

Umpqua Valley Christian, the defending state champion at 2A/1A, had won four in a row before running into Marist Catholic on Wednesday. The Spartans, ranked No. 1 in 4A, prevailed, 7-3, to improve to 9-1 on the year. Their only loss has come versus two-tiime defending champion Scappoose. Marist also owns a win over Scappoose.

Umpqua Valley Christian is off to a 12-3 start to the year and is ranked No. 1 in 2A/1A. Senior RHP Ty Hellenthal has been a catalyst, going 5-1 on the mound without an earned run through his first 29 innings pitched. Another senior right hander, Logan Anderson, has also stepped up in a big way. He pitched eight innings in a walk off win over La Pine last Saturday and is 3-0 with 37 strike outs over 27 innings pitched, with an ERA under 0.30.

***

2024 2A/1A state runner up Knappa won three times last week, including one over UVC in a rematch of last year’s state final. Lukas Masters picked up two wins on the mound,  including a six-inning, 10 strikeout no-hitter against Country Christian to close the week.

***

Last week, two South Salem senior outfielders – Gavin Price and Noah Scharer, each eclipsed the 100 career hits milestone. Both are on virtually certain shatter the program’s all-time career hits record of 108, set by Joey August (’05) and matched by Aaron Zavala (’18).

***

Sisters junior Sebastian Storch threw a no hitter on April 11 in a win over Burns / Crane. He struck out an astounding 15 over the five-inning game, in which the Outlaws prevailed, 10-0.

***

Junction City on Saturday swept a double header, beating Douglas, 12-1, in the first game; and Cascade Christian, 2-1, in the second.

Connor Clift had a great day for the Tigers, going 3-for-3 with a two-run dinger and four runs batted in versus Douglas; and getting the win on the mound versus Cascade Christian with a four-hit effort over six innings while fanning six.

***

Steve Stebbins, who has been at South Umpqua for nine years and led the Lancers to a 3A state title in 2022, picked up career coaching win No. 300 on April 7 versus Pleasant Hill. Congrats coach!!

Stats Categories

Last week, we debuted stats categories.

It was my intention to update these lists in this Notebook, but in all the excitement surrounding my Florida trip, I dropped the ball in getting notice out timely to the coaches.

I apologize profoundly.

Stats categories will return next week.

Promise.

College-Bound!

In this space, we list 83 current high school players who have made a commitment to attend a college or university of their choice and play baseball.

Brady Ackerman, senior INF, Canby – Arizona Christian University

Jordan Araiza, senior RHP/UTIL, Tualatin – Mt. Hood CC

Fischer Barber, senior RHP, Bend – Tacoma CC

Max Bishop, senior RHP, OF, La Salle Prep – Lane CC

Greg Bologoff, senior 1B, Westview – Ottawa University-Phoenix

Noah Boria, senior SS/RHP, Nelson – Lower Columbia CC

Carson Boyer, senior LHP, West Linn — Gonzaga

Ethan Bruce, senior SS, Mountain View – Shasta College

Brayden Buck, senior OF, Tualatin – Tacoma CC

Dakota Chun, senior C, Sunset — University of Portland

Gabe Coltman, senior OF, Sunset – University of South Carolina Upstate

Braden Corgain, senior C, Thurston – Lane CC

Easton Curtis, senior OF, North Medford – Lassen CC

Brodan Curtiss, senior INF/OF, Barlow – Chemeketa CC

Dominic Daffron, senior RHP, North Medford – Linn-Benton CC

Slater de Brun, senior OF, Summit — Vanderbilt

Manny Ehinger, sophomore 3B, Lakeridge – University of Oregon

Joe Fagan, senior SS, Scappoose – University of Portland

Will Goodman, senior INF, Bend – Pepperdine University

Max Green, senior INF/RHP, Sandy – Mt. Hood CC

Calvin Gregory, senior LHP, Lakeridge – Oregon State

River Hamilton, senior RHP, Barlow – LSU

Cam Hammer, senior INF, Ida B. Wells – Willamette University

Hudson Hauck, senior RHP, Southridge – Chemeketa CC

Zack Hayden, senior LHP, Reynolds – Mt. Hood CC

Colby Herren, senior 1B – Yakima CC

Aiden Herrera, senior OF, Tualatin – Clackamas CC

Torsten Hersom, senior RHP, La Salle prep – Bushnell University

Carter Hess, senior RHP/OF, Summit – Mt. Hood CC

Cooper Hibbs, senior OF, Sandy – Mt. Hood CC

Orion Houck, senior INF/RHP, Burns / Crane – Blue Mountain CC

Johnny Ingalls, senior RHP, Jesuit – Linfield University

Brady Kennedy, senior LHP/OF, Mountain View – Shasta College

Kiyo Kiyokawa, senior INF, Barlow – Clark College

Ian Kolmer, senior RHP/OF, Ida B. Wells – University of Colorado – Colorado Springs

Evan Lehnert, senior RHP, Pendleton / Nixyaawii – Linn-Benton CC

Noah Kovac, senior RHP, Nelson – Mt. Hood CC

Niko Leyba, senior SS/RHP, Marist Catholic – Cuesta CC

Colby Lipp, senior RHP, Jesuit – College of the Canyons

David MacDonald, senior INF, Thurston – Redwoods CC

Gage Martinez, senior SS/RHP, Crook County – Blue Mountain CC

Diego Martinez Griffin, senior 1B, Grant – Columbia Basin CC

Talon McGrorty, senior RHP/INF, Warrenton – Linn-Benton CC

Tyson McGrorty, senior C, Warrenton – Linn-Benton CC

Boyd Messman, senior C/1B, Sprague – Bushnell University

Andrew Mhoon, senior SS, Sprague – Loyola Marymount

Connor Molony, senior 1B/RHP, Thurston — University of Oregon

Jayden Nakamura, senior SS, Aloha – University of Washington

Sawyer Nelson, junior SS, South Salem – Loyola Marymount

Bryson Nygren, senior RHP, Silverton – Linn-Benton CC

Nash Opitz, senior SS/RHP, McMinnville – Antelope Valley CC

Ezra Oster, senior RHP/1B, Cleveland – Oregon Institute of Technology

Connor Parry, senior RHP/1B, Sherwood – University of Portland

Isaac Pfeifer, senior C, Tualatin – University of Portland

Jackson Poole, senior OF, Ida B. Wells – Clackamas CC

Addison Postlewait, senior INF/RHP, Hood River Valley – Diablo Valley College

Gavin Price, senior C, Corvallis – George Fox University

Gavin Price, senior OF, South Salem – University of Louisiana-Monroe

Talon Pryor, senior INF, Brookings-Harbor – Blue Mountain CC

Parker Raubuch, junior RHP, Sunset – Centralia CC

Aiden Rice, senior INF, Central Catholic – University of Portland

Josh Riddle, senior RHP, Santiam Christian – George Fox University

Cody Roletto, senior C, Ida B. Wells – Ohlone College

Brett Ronson, senior OF/1B, West Linn – Mt. Hood CC

Kainoa Santiago, senior OF, Jesuit – Gonzaga University

Grady Saunders, junior RHP/Utility, Thurston – Oregon State

Noah Scharer, senior OF, South Salem – Linn-Benton CC

Kruz Schoolcraft, senior (reclassified) LHP/1B, Sunset — Tennessee

Luke Schoeffler, senior RHP/OF, Crescent Valley – Linfield University

Avery Schwartz, senior RHP, The Dalles / Dufur – Lewis-Clark State College (Idaho)

Teagan Scott, junior C, South Salem – Oregon State

Dylan Sheaffer, senior LHP/1B, Barlow – Clackamas CC

Brayden Sievertsen, senior RHP/UTIL, Sandy — Centralia CC

Landon Sigler, senior INF, Mountainside – Warner Pacific University

Johnathin Silvis, senior C, Sandy — Clackamas CC

Will Slater, senior RHP/1B, Sunset – Eastern Oregon

Kobe Sparks, senior SS/RHP, Sandy – Mt. Hood CC

Mikey Terry, senior C/INF, Crescent Valley – Clarke University

Alex Via, senior RHP, Summit — University of Portland

Danny Wideman, senior SS/OF, West Linn – University of Oregon

Mark Wiepert, senior C/3B, Wilsonville — Oregon State

Fisher Winchester, senior RHP/3B, Sandy — Lower Columbia CC

Owen Zerr, senior OF, Sprague – Centralia CC

Teague Zimmer, senior RHP/1B, Ida B. Wells – Napa Valley College

Email [email protected] to make corrections or add to this list.