00:00Austin Nola signs minor league deal with Atlanta Braves.
00:04The Braves have signed veteran catcher Austin Nola to a minor league contract with an invitation to big league spring camp, per reports.
00:12Nola, 35, brings a mix of big league experience and versatility to a Braves system that's light on upper-level catching depth.
00:19He has appeared in 345 career MLB games with the Padres and Mariners from 2019 to 2023, hitting a combined .249, .324, .350 with a .95 OPS+, per baseball reference.
00:36Nola's early career showed promise.
00:38He posted a .796 OPS in 2019 with Seattle and maintained solid offensive value through 2021.
00:45However, his bat cooled sharply, and by 2023 his offensive production had cratered, .146 average in 52 games.
00:55The 2024 season saw Nola sign a minor league deal with the Royals, followed by a stint with Colorado's AAA affiliate.
01:03After a strong showing in Albuquerque, the Rockies promoted him in May.
01:06Nola managed just a .184, .225, .211 line over 14 MLB games before being designated for assignment and electing free agency in August.
01:18Atlanta enters .2025 set at the MLB level with Sean Murphy and Drake Baldwin sharing catching duties.
01:25Chucky Robinson is the only other catcher in the organization with prior MLB experience,
01:31making Nola's addition a low-risk depth move ahead of spring training.
01:35Nola could also serve as an emergency first-base option, a role he's filled intermittently throughout his career.
01:42While it's unlikely Nola challenges for a big-league job out of camp,
01:46his experience and steady glove could make him valuable at AAA Gwinnett, especially if injuries strike the catching core.
01:54Now entering his age 36 season, Nola's chances to re-establish himself as a backup in the majors are dwindling.
02:00But a strong spring showing could keep the door open in Atlanta or elsewhere.
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