The Diamondbacks Announce September Players of the Month

The D-backs announced their Player and Pitcher of the Month for September to cap off their 2024 Awards

Amarillo Sod Poodles Tim Tawa (10) slides in safely at second base, in a Texas League Championship game against the Arkansas Travelers, Tuesday night, September 26, 2023, at Hodgetown, in Amarillo, Texas. The Arkansas Travelers won 6-5. / Carter Pirtle for the Amarillo Globe-News / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Arizona Diamondbacks announced a slew of awards about their minor leagues Thursday including announcing their Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Year. They also announced their Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Month for September.

The Player of the Month is not a surprise considering how he ended the season in Triple-A with the Reno Aces after a standout season that saw him climb from Double-A to Reno.

That player is utility man Tim Tawa. The future Diamondbacks player plays a variety of positions showcasing his versatility and potential to impact the Big League club.

Over 17 games in September, he reached base safely in 16 of them and hit .323 with a 1.098 OPS with 4 doubles, 6 home runs, 15 RBI, 9 walks, 2 stolen bases, and 11 runs.

He ranked top-ten in numerous categories among the Pacific Coast League including third in in home runs. He had a six-game hitting streak at one point early in September and later punched in 11 runs over 6 games from September 11-17, batting .429 during that time.

Tawa showcased a stronger than expected ability against right-handed pitching as he batted .348 with a 1.218 OPS. If he can keep this up as a right-handed batter against right-handed pitching, it will only help him reach the majors that much quicker.

As for who won Pitcher of the Month, it's a left-handed starter that went from High-A Hillsboro to Double-A Amarillo Sod Poodles where he proved that he can handle hitters at that level.

Over 16.1 innings, Spencer Giesting went 1-1 with a 2.76 ERA, a single walk, 19 strikeouts, and opponents hitting just .266 against him. Left-handers particularly struggled against him, hitting just .167.

Giesting established that he can be a legitimate pitcher against left-handed hitters and that could propel him to reach the Majors quicker, but will give him a base to build off of.

Giesting excelled in Amarillo despite it being a terrific hitter's ballpark as he allowed just one run in 11 innings there, good for a 0.82 ERA.

Among Double-A pitchers, he ranked fifth in strikeouts and ninth in innings. He is set up to start 2024 back in Double-A Amarillo with the hopes of making a late-season cameo in Reno ahead of a potential 2026 MLB debut if all goes right.

The Arizona Diamondbacks have a growing minor league system and these two players are certainly a big part of it in the future.