The Braves have signed a catcher Austin Hoe to a minor league deal, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. The contract includes an invitation to Atlanta’s big league spring camp.
Nola played in 345 MLB games with the Padres and Mariners from 2019 to 2023, posting some very solid numbers at the plate before his production in the 2023 campaign turned off poorly. Nola spent the 2024 season with the Royals’ Triple-A affiliate without getting any more playing time in the Show, and last winter he signed a minor league deal with the Rockies.
The early part of Nola’s 2025 campaign was spent battling injuries, but he played well enough at Triple-A to earn a selection to Colorado’s active roster. Nola didn’t fare nearly as well, hitting .184/.225/.211 over 41 at-bats and 14 games with the Rox before being designated for assignment and then outright removed from the 40-man roster in August. He opted for free agency instead of taking that outright assignment, so Nola has had some extra time to line up his next stop.
Atlanta takes place at the MLB level Drake Baldwin And Sean Murphy as their catchers, but Chuckie Robinson is the only other backstop in the system with any major league experience. Nola could provide some depth for the Braves in camp, and could even play a role as a backup first baseman. As he enters his age-36 season, time may be running out for Nola to reestablish himself as even a backup in the Majors, but a good performance in Spring Training could land him a Triple-A job with the Braves or perhaps a spot elsewhere on a team with a less stable catching situation.
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