Padres’ former injury-prone catcher signs minor league deal with Atlanta Braves

For a franchise that has long prized run-prevention and game planning, Atlanta just added a familiar name to its catching room. Austin Nola, once a linchpin of the San Diego Padres’ 2020–22 batteries and a steadying presence in two San Diego postseason runs, has agreed to a minor-league deal with a spring training invite. On paper, it’s a depth move. In practice, it’s a bet that a veteran who’s managed pitching staffs in October can still squeeze value out of a changing role.

Nola’s path back to a big-league camp has been a grind. After a strong first impression with the Seattle Mariners, and the Padres from 2019–22, injuries and an offensive downturn knocked him out of the Padres’ plans in 2023. He spent 2024 in Triple-A with Kansas City’s affiliate, then resurfaced with the Rockies on a minor-league pact over the winter. A few healthy months in 2025 earned him a call to Colorado, but the bat didn’t follow, he hit .184/.225/.211 in 41 plate appearances before a DFA and outright in August.

Padres alum Austin Nola lands with Braves in bid to revive his role

The Braves’ major-league depth chart is straightforward with Sean Murphy and Drake Baldwin, but organizationally there’s not much big-league mileage behind them, Chuckie Robinson is the only other catcher in the system with MLB experience. That’s the window for Nola. Even if he opens in Triple-A, he gives Atlanta a call-up option who can handle a staff, absorb game-planning responsibilities, and moonlight at first base if needed.

Padres fans know the fuller picture. Nola’s San Diego tenure started at full speed in 2020, when he immediately took over catching duties and started all six playoff games, including guiding a bullpen shutout of the Cardinals in the Wild Card Series. That trust from pitchers and coaches wasn’t a one-week flash; it was the baseline for the next two seasons.

In 2022 he logged a career-high 110 games (94 starts behind the plate), serving as the primary catcher while hitting .251 with a .321 OBP. Defensively, he ranked among National League catchers in innings caught, total chances, and fielding percentage, and he again shouldered every inning of San Diego’s postseason run, setting a franchise mark for innings caught in a single postseason. The numbers don’t capture the day-to-day: managing tempo, stealing borderline strikes, and syncing with a staff built around power arms and moving parts.

Then came the stall. A string of ailments and the bottom dropping out of his offensive line in 2023 led to a steep reduction in playing time and a release after the season.

That’s the calculated wager for Atlanta: don’t ask Nola to be a 110-game solution, ask him to be ready, healthy, and trusted for the 10–25 games when you absolutely need them. If the bat ticks back even modestly and the receiving remains steady, he’s the kind of veteran who can stabilize a series, shepherd a spot starter, or buy a week of rest for Murphy without the pitching plan collapsing.

At 36, Nola isn’t chasing a starting job so much as a role, and the Braves offer a clear lane to one. A solid spring could land him the Triple-A job with first-call status if anything happens to the big-league duo. If another club with a shakier catching situation comes calling, this deal also positions him to be an easy, no-drama add.