The Padres announced the non-tenders of catcher Austin Nola, outfielder Taylor Kohlwey and pitchers Tim Hill and Jose Espada.
Nola’s non-tender marks the end of a three-and-a-half-year tenure in San Diego. The Friars picked him up alongside Dan Altavilla and Austin Adams in a now clearly lopsided (in the other direction) swap that sent a four-player package of Ty France, Andres Munoz, Luis Torrens and Taylor Trammell to the Mariners back in 2020. At the time, Nola had been an unmitigated steal for the Mariners in free agency, signing a minor league contract and coming out of nowhere to deliver a .280/.351/.476 batting line in 377 plate appearances while playing catcher, first base, second base, third base and the outfield corners.
Nola’s production almost immediately took a nosedive following the swap, however, and in 819 career plate appearances with the Padres he’s a .234/.314/.320 hitter — including a particularly woeful .146/.260/.192 slash in 154 plate appearances this past season. (France and Munoz, meanwhile, have gone on to become key players for a rebuild Mariners roster, although the former struggled himself in 2023.)
With Nola projected for a $2.35MM salary (via MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz), the Padres cutting payroll, and fellow catcher Luis Campusano breaking out to the tune of a .319/.356/.491 batting line in 49 games, Nola no longer had a clear fit in the organization. He’ll turn 34 next month and look to latch on with new club between now and Opening Day.
Hill, also 33, has built a quietly solid track record over a six-year career between the Royals and Padres, though he stumbled to a career-worst 5.48 ERA in 44 1/3 frames this past season. Hill’s 2023 included a lowly 12.9% strikeout rate, although his 6.9% walk rate and particularly his 61.2% grounder rate were both strong marks.
From 2019-22, Hill totaled 165 1/3 innings of 3.70 ERA ball between Kansas City and San Diego, fanning 20.2% of his opponents against an 8.1% walk rate and superlative 58.9% ground-ball rate. He’s long had rather glaring platoon splits, however, making him a victim of the rule that stipulated pitchers must face at least three opponents per outing (or finish the inning). Hill has held opposing lefties to a dreary .223/.302/.304 batting line in his career but yielded an unsightly .284/.351/.460 slash against right-handers. He’ll hit the market in search of a rebound opportunity, likely on a one-year contract or minor league deal.
Kohlwey, 29, made his big league debut this season and went 2-for-13 with a pair of singles. The former 21st-round pick is a career .296/.387/.444 hitter in parts of four Triple-A seasons. The 26-year-old Espada pitched a scoreless inning for the Padres in his MLB debut in 2023. They plucked him out of indie ball in 2022, and he notched a 2.81 ERA with a big 31.4% strikeout rate but a concerning 12.8% walk rate in 83 1/3 innings between Double-A and Triple-A this season. Both players will look for new opportunities as minor league free agents.
Not surprised by these. Except Espada I didn’t even know he was on the roster.
These were expected moves. Nola prob gets a minor league deal and hill I could see still getting a major league deal.
Nola was working out at the Padres Peoria facility last week when we were there for the AFL. I think that you are right that they bring him back on a minor league deal.
That sounds promising. Probably already have had this figured out then.
This keeps my long running theory alive about them signing Aaron (albeit the theory started last ST back before Austin went down) so he could pitch to Austin every 5 days for Pads.
Hmm, I hope padres can get Nola on a split majors/ minors deal. His problems were considerable, but kinda medical. He’d be much better than a typical backup backstop if he can get right.
Yet I find it more likely he signs that type of deal with the team that acquires Aaron Nola. Those two bros love each other and it showed in the 2022 nlcs.
He never recovered from getting beaned
Keep an eye on Nola he may get a team the inside track on his brother
Braves ?????
I don’t know about that, but it would be cool if they ended up on the same team. Just might suck for Aaron when Austin is cut or sent down.
Vertigo and baseball don’t mix.
Nola might be retiring, when you don’t recover from a concussion within a few weeks it becomes increasingly dangerous to return behind the dish. EVERY catcher gets whacked in the head by batters who stand behind the box, which isn’t really enforced…
He got diagnosed with oculomotor dysfunction, basically his eyes aren’t able to track movement. Concussion doesn’t help but he had bigger issues after being hit, he was never the same. Definitely doesn’t help hitting or being a catcher. Don’t get me wrong, his hitting was always questionable and never had the strongest arm. Tough to see anyone get hurt like that.
Nola is very respected for his ability to work with pitchers and call games, I believe he will make a fine coach without limit to potential, lol Preller should interview him for the vacant manager position!!! Couldn’t do any worse then anybody else he’s picked!!!
Having a catcher on the Padres who would hit above .200 seems like a luxury in the last 10 years…
Go Aztecs!
Come back to us Austin. We’ll get you right
I really liked Austin Nola. His first years in fantasy were phenomenal. Could play 4 positions including catcher and was a pretty good hitter.
Sign Gary Sanchez and say good bye to A. Nola. Please.
Come on, Adams. “Meanwhile” has to start the sentence. It can’t come in the middle.