Why Austin Nola, a catcher, was signed by the Kansas City Royals for spring training
The Royals general manager, J.J. Picollo, stated, “We really had it as a target early in the offseason because of the track record and knowing how important catching depth is.” “It’s hard, considering what we went through the previous year. But it’s a plus for us to have someone with that level of experience in charge.
In the early part of the offseason, the Royals attempted to sign Nola. Rather, Nola made the decision to sign a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers.KC was still partial to Nola. The Royals had another opportunity to acquire the seasoned backstop on Friday.
The Brewers released Nola on Thursday, and Picollo was prepared to sign him. Nola joined the Royals later that evening, indicating that the deal came together swiftly.
Picollo stated, “We were aware of it since it was rumored that Milwaukee had signed (Gary) Sanchez.” We were aware that Nola was a non-roster invite, so we took precautions. Until it occurs, there isn’t really anything you can do. After his release yesterday, his representatives contacted other teams. We had already decided to add him to the 40-man roster if that occurs and he is available.
In tandem, the Royals placed pitcher Kris Bubic on the 60-day injured list. Bubic is still recovering from surgery on his Tommy John.
Nola was signed to a big league deal. Along with Freddy Fermin and Salvador Perez, the team captain, among others in camp, he adds depth. Additionally, Nola still has minor-league options available, giving the Royals roster flexibility.
Fermin should not be affected by Nola’s signing, according to Picollo.”I anticipate that Fermin will leave the team, but there’s a possibility we could part ways with three catchers,” Picollo remarked.
Last season, Nola made 52 appearances. Despite having problems with his left eye’s vision, he managed to generate a batting average of.146. The condition resulted from symptoms he experienced following a concussion sustained during a spring training game the previous year.
Regarding his persistent illnesses, Nola stated, “just dealing with the head stuff and, you know, getting the foul tips and from the first hit in spring training.” “I never truly bounced back from it.”
Nola had meetings with experts in San Diego and UCLA. He was tested in neurology and ophthalmology. Nola was attempting to determine what caused the problems he was having seeing the baseball and why his depth perception was affected.
The experts assisted him in identifying the problem. Oculomotor dysfunction, a condition that impairs the brain’s capacity to regulate eye movement, was the diagnosis made for him. Nola claimed he was able to fully recover his strength over this offseason. He was eager to go back to his 2022 form and felt fantastic.
“I was able to clean everything up once I was able to get the full recovery,” Nola stated. “Reestablish my body’s movements and get everything back in order after the concussion.”
The medicals on Nola gave the Royals peace of mind. He came in with a positive report, and KC is thrilled to have him this season.Picollo stated, “It’s more concerning mentally than anything else.” However, the information we had suggested that he had moved past and overcome that.
Nola will have another opportunity to collaborate with Wacha and Lugo. With the Royals, he will don No. 14.Nola remarked, “I love catching them; it’s so much fun.” “Those guys are really talented. They have the ability to place their fastball and move the ball around. That, in my opinion, is what makes it so enjoyable.
At Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Arizona, the Royals and Texas Rangers will resume their Cactus League series. On Friday, the Rangers defeated KC 5-4 in their spring training debut.