STANFORD, Calif. – Seniors Tim Tawa and Christian Robinson were selected on day three of the 2021 MLB Draft Tuesday. Tawa was picked in the 11th round (318th overall) by the Arizona Diamondbacks while Robinson was the 15th-round selection of the Atlanta Braves with the 457th overall pick.
The duo joins Brendan Beck as Cardinal drafted this year after Beck was taken 55th overall in the second round by the New York Yankees on Monday.
Tawa hit .290 with 46 runs scored, 13 doubles, 12 homers and 39 RBIs over 52 games played and 51 starts as a senior. The native of West Linn, Ore. stole 14 bases in 17 attempts and hit safely in 37 of his 52 games played. The team-leader in multi-hit games with 18, Tawa posted a .386 average with 13 runs scored, three doubles, five homers and 10 RBIs in postseason play - compiling four three-hit games over the nine games in the tournament. Included in the strong postseason numbers was a .526 average (10 for 19) with seven runs scored, two doubles, three homers and eight RBIs in the four games at the Stanford Regional to capture Most Outstanding Player honors. He would go on to hit .400 over the three games at the College World Series, finishing with three runs scored, a double, a homer and a stolen base to earn a spot on the College World Series All-Tournament team at second base.
A 2018 Freshman All-America selection, and a two-time All-Pac-12 honoree, Tawa played in 184 games, starting 180, over his career on The Farm. He batted .274 with 132 runs scored, 43 doubles, three triples, 28 home runs and 123 RBIs over his career while swiping 30 bases in 39 career attempts.
Robinson hit a team-best .318 with 36 runs scored, 12 doubles, eight home runs and 48 RBIs over 50 games played as a senior, collecting a hit in 37 of the 50 games played. The native of Melbourne, Fla. drew 26 walks and stole eight bases in as many attempts while recording a .500 slugging percentage and .398 on-base percentage. Garnering All-Pac-12 honorable mention honors, Robinson batted .298 (28 for 94) with 18 runs scored, eight doubles, three homers and 15 RBIs in Pac-12 play. Selected to the Stanford Regional All-Tournament team, he hit .359 with six runs scored, three doubles, two homers and 12 RBIs in nine postseason games – including .357 with a double, a homer and four RBIs at the College World Series. A member of the 2018 Pac-12 Champion team with Beck and Tawa, Robinson compiled 17 multi-hit games and a team-high 14 multi-RBI games in 2021. He also delivered 37 RBIs while hitting a team-best .407 (22 for 54) with runners in scoring position.
A .284 career hitter for Stanford, Robinson collected 67 runs scored, 32 doubles, two triples and eight home runs – all coming in his senior year – while driving in 83 runs in 146 career games with the Cardinal.
With three more selected this year, Stanford has seen 35 players drafted in the first 15 rounds of an MLB Draft since 2011.