The Kansas City Royals have been rotting in mediocrity since they won the 2015 World Series.
That’s actually one of the nicest ways to put it, because they have been one of the worst teams in baseball since then.
However, with a new general manager in J.J. Picollo and an unexpected spending spree by ownership, the Royals have gone from dreadful to, hopefully, decent.
To the myriad of additions they have made in the offseason, they have added a new one: catcher Austin Nola.
They welcomed him via their official Twitter account and reported that he has been signed to a major league deal.
To make room for him on the roster, they are sending pitcher Kris Bubic to the 60-day injured list.
Welcome to Kansas City, Austin! https://t.co/rM7ovKXT8g pic.twitter.com/idvp2MhTeG
The brother of Philadelphia Phillies ace Aaron Nola, Austin is an experienced catcher who didn’t have a good 2023.
Playing for the San Diego Padres, he hit a meager .146/.260/.192 with a .452 OPS in 52 games.
However, he is a career .696 OPS hitter who has some offensive upside when he is at his best.
Whether or not he stays on the roster for the majority of the year will depend on his own performance and how the organization deploys its catching depth, one that includes Salvador Perez, Freddy Fermin, and possibly MJ Melendez, although the latter will likely be an outfielder.
Nola, having played for the Padres, is very familiar with two of the Royals’ newcomers: Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha.
Kansas City also brought in Hunter Renfroe, Adam Frazier, Garrett Hampson, Chris Stratton, Will Smith, John Schreiber, and Nick Anderson.
It could be a fun year in Kansas City.