Austin Nola Bio
Austin Kyle Nola (born December 28, 1989) is an American former professional baseball catcher and current bullpen coach for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB). Over the course of his playing career, he suited up for the Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, Colorado Rockies, and briefly the Kansas City Royals organization. He made his MLB debut in 2019 and appeared in two National League Championship Series with the Padres. After retiring as a player, Nola transitioned into coaching when the Mariners hired him as their bullpen coach in December 2025.
Born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Nola comes from a baseball family. His younger brother, Aaron Nola, is a starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies. After starring at Catholic High School in Baton Rouge, Nola played college baseball at Louisiana State University, where he helped the Tigers win the 2009 College World Series before launching a professional career in 2012.
Early Life and Background
Austin Kyle Nola was born on December 28, 1989, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. His father owns a remodeling and construction company and is a baseball coach, while his mother works as a part-time secretary. Nola took to the sport from an early age, often playing catch with his father in the backyard after school, and his father coached both Austin and Aaron’s baseball teams throughout their childhood. The brothers’ maternal grandfather, Richard Barrios, once served as the sergeant at arms for the Louisiana House of Representatives.
Nola attended Catholic High School in Baton Rouge, where he played shortstop for the school baseball team. He made the varsity team as a freshman and led the team in hitting that year. As a junior in 2007, Nola was part of Catholic’s district championship team, and during all four years of his high school baseball career, he was an all-state shortstop selection. As a senior in 2008, Nola was named the Baton Rouge Advocate’s Star of Stars in baseball and Louisiana player of the year by Gatorade and Louisville Slugger, batting .447 with 48 runs scored, 42 runs batted in (RBIs), and 13 home runs.
Path to Baseball
The Colorado Rockies selected Nola in the 48th round of the 2008 MLB Draft out of high school, but he chose not to sign, instead committing to play college baseball at Louisiana State University (LSU). As a freshman in 2009, LSU moved junior DJ LeMahieu to second base and installed Nola as the Tigers’ starting shortstop. Nola played well at the plate and in the field, batting .240 with 27 runs, 18 RBIs, and three home runs during the regular season before helping LSU win the 2009 College World Series championship with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage.
Nola returned to LSU as a sophomore in 2010, starting all 63 regular-season games at shortstop and batting .320 with 50 runs, 52 RBIs, and five home runs. That year, LSU won its third straight Southeastern Conference (SEC) championship, and Nola was named the tournament Most Valuable Player. After his junior year in 2011, both Austin and Aaron were selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the MLB Draft, but both brothers chose to return to LSU. As a senior in 2012, Nola collected his second career grand slam against Alabama and was awarded the Wally Pontiff Academic Achievement Award as LSU’s top student-athlete on the baseball team, batting .299 with four home runs and 43 RBIs.
Austin Nola Career
Early Career (2012–2018)
The Miami Marlins selected Nola in the fifth round, 167th overall, of the 2012 MLB Draft, and he signed with the team for a $75,000 bonus. He was initially assigned to the Low-A Jamestown Jammers of the New York–Penn League before being promoted to the Single-A Greensboro Grasshoppers, where he played 65 games and batted .211. Nola spent the next several seasons climbing the Marlins’ farm system, playing for the Jupiter Hammerheads in 2013, the Jacksonville Suns in 2014, and the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League.
After reaching Triple-A New Orleans in 2015, Nola’s progress stalled, and he grew concerned he would never make the majors. Zephyrs’ hitting coach Paul Phillips suggested a position change, and Nola began the transition from shortstop to catcher in the Arizona Fall League. He made the switch full-time in 2017, spent time at Double-A Jacksonville and Triple-A New Orleans, and was designated for assignment during spring training in 2018. Nola became a free agent after the 2018 season.
Seattle Mariners (2019–2020)
Nola signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners on November 9, 2018, and opened the 2019 season with the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers as a utility player. He was called up to the Mariners on June 16, 2019, making his major league debut the same day and starting at first base in a 6–3 victory over the Oakland Athletics. His first major league home run came on June 28 against Wade Miley of the Houston Astros, and Nola finished his rookie season batting .269 with 10 home runs and 31 RBI in 267 at-bats while playing a variety of positions.
In 2020, Nola was chosen as Seattle’s starting catcher after Tom Murphy broke a metatarsal bone in his foot. He became a consistent offensive force in the first month of the pandemic-shortened season, posting five home runs, 17 RBI, and nine multi-hit games in his first 25 appearances. In 29 games with the Mariners, Nola batted .306 with 19 RBI before being traded to the San Diego Padres at the deadline.
San Diego Padres (2020–2023)
On August 30, 2020, the Mariners traded Nola, Dan Altavilla, and Austin Adams to the Padres in exchange for Ty France, Taylor Trammell, Andrés Muñoz, and Luis Torrens. In the National League Wild Card Series finale, Nola became the first MLB catcher to backstop nine pitchers through a postseason shutout, advancing San Diego to the National League Division Series (NLDS) against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Pitchers posted a 2.50 earned run average (ERA) in the 48 games he caught, the lowest among Padres catchers, though Nola later revealed he had fractured his foot during the run.
In 2021, Nola fractured the middle finger of his left hand during spring training and missed the season’s first month. He was later sidelined by a sprained knee and finished the year on the injured list after undergoing thumb surgery following a collision at home plate with Brandon Belt. On August 21, 2021, Nola faced his brother Aaron for the first time in their MLB careers, striking out swinging on three straight fastballs. Nola returned to the NLCS in 2022, where he and Aaron became the first brothers in MLB postseason history to face each other as pitcher and batter. Nola played a career-high 110 games in 2022, batting .251 with 4 home runs and 40 RBI.
Kansas City Royals (2024)
After a brief stint in the Milwaukee Brewers organization in early 2024, Nola signed a one-year major league contract with the Kansas City Royals on February 23, 2024. He was optioned to the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers to begin the season and appeared in 55 games for Omaha, batting .174 with five home runs and 24 RBI. Nola was designated for assignment by the Royals on August 31, cleared waivers, and was sent outright to Omaha on September 3.
Colorado Rockies (2025) and Atlanta Braves (2025)
On December 8, 2024, Nola signed a minor league contract with the Colorado Rockies, where he batted .330/.397/.456 with one home run and 20 RBI across the Arizona Complex League and Triple-A Albuquerque. The Rockies added him to the active roster on July 1, 2025, and in 14 appearances, he batted .184 with one RBI before being designated for assignment on August 11 and electing free agency. On October 21, 2025, Nola signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves, who released him on November 11.
Coaching Career (2025–Present)
The Seattle Mariners hired Nola as their bullpen coach, announcing the move on December 5, 2025. The hiring brought him back to the organization where he had begun his major league career and marked his transition from player to coach.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the signature moments of Nola’s career was his record-setting performance in the 2020 Wild Card Series, when he guided nine Padres pitchers through a postseason shutout. In 2022, Nola and his brother Aaron made MLB postseason history as the first brothers to face each other as pitcher and batter in a playoff game. He also caught the 2009 College World Series championship at LSU and was twice named an SEC tournament Most Valuable Player.
Austin Nola Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Nola is of Italian descent; his great-grandparents emigrated to Baton Rouge from Sicily. He shares a deep baseball background with his younger brother, Aaron Nola, a starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies. The brothers’ father, a baseball coach, ran their youth teams, and the Nola family has long been tied to the sport in the Baton Rouge community.
Personal Life
Nola is married. He and his wife welcomed a son on March 26, 2020, the day that would have been MLB’s originally scheduled opening day before the season was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their daughter was born on September 9, 2022. In January 2020, Austin and Aaron hosted a “Strike Out ALS” charity event in Baton Rouge in honor of their uncle, who suffers from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
2025 Season Performance
Nola’s 2025 campaign began with a minor league contract signed with the Colorado Rockies on December 8, 2024. He tore through the lower levels of the minors, batting .330/.397/.456 with one home run and 20 RBI across the Arizona Complex League and Triple-A Albuquerque before earning a promotion to the Rockies’ active roster on July 1. In 14 major league appearances, however, Nola batted .184/.225/.211 with one RBI as he struggled to find his footing at the plate.
On August 11, the Rockies designated Nola for assignment, and he elected free agency on August 15 after clearing waivers. Seeking another opportunity, Nola signed a minor league deal with the Atlanta Braves on October 21, 2025, but was released on November 11. Looking ahead, the Mariners announced on December 5 that they had hired Nola as their bullpen coach, opening the next chapter of his career in the same organization where he made his major league debut.