The Orioles have signed catcher Jacob Nottingham to a minor league deal, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. Nottingham spent some of 2021 in the big leagues with the Brewers and Mariners but was outrighted in June, thus making him eligible to sign a minor league deal during the ongoing lockout.
Although it’s a minor league deal, it’s noteworthy for the Orioles given their catching situation. They don’t currently have any catchers on their 40-man roster. In 2021, most of the time behind the dish went to Pedro Severino, who was outrighted at the end of the season and has since signed with the Brewers. Chance Sisco got some playing time in the first half of the year but was claimed on waivers by the Mets in June. Austin Wynns and Nick Ciuffo, who were also in the mix, were both outrighted off the roster at the end of the season.
The club has the consensus top prospect in baseball, Adley Rutschman, set to debut at some point in 2022 after he finished this year in Triple-A. However, they will need some other catching options on hand to cover the position until his call-up, or to act as backup to Rutschman later in the year. That means Nottingham has a decent path to some playing time in the big leagues next year.
Nottingham, 26, was selected by the Astros in the sixth round of the 2013 draft. In 2015, he was shipped to the Athletics as part of the trade that sent Scott Kazmir to Houston. A few months later, Oakland sent him to Milwaukee as part of the Khris Davis deal. He made his MLB debut in 2018 and spent three years as a frequently-optioned depth catcher, appearing in 38 total games over the 2018-2020 campaigns.
2021 saw Nottingham be the centerpiece of a game of hot potato between the Brewers and Mariners. Having exhausted his option years, he was designated for assignment by the Brewers in April. He was claimed by the Mariners and then designated for assignment again a few days later. Seattle traded him back to Milwaukee, who designated him yet again after less than two weeks. He was claimed by the Mariners a second time and then, just over week later, designated yet again. In the middle of June, he finally cleared waivers and was outrighted.
Over the past four seasons, Nottingham has only gotten into 53 games at the big league level, hitting eight home runs and slashing .184/.277/.421 in that time, with a strikeout rate of 38.5%. In 2021, amidst all that traveling, he got 45 plate appearances over 15 games. He hit three homers and slashed .150/.222/.400, with a strikeout rate of 44.4% in that tiny sample size.
The divorced couple (Mariners and Brewers) have now lost custody
Ha, that was one weird back and forth of transactions last year.
Grandpa was a Pilot.
Wasn’t his great great grandfather a sheriff?
Now he’s been claimed by CYS child & youth services. Wait no. Camden Yard services.
Now the Orioles have to sign Andrew Chafin. That way the “Sheriff” can pitch to Nottingham.
If you don’t get the reference, think of the 1970s with pitcher Don Hood throwing to batter Robin Yount.
Adley might be done for.
He was done for when he was bestowed the title “Orioles catching prospect”
Sadly, this will be their opening day catcher
And then the Brewers will claim him on waivers, and then the Mariners will claim him, and then…
Now if we can only get Ryan Sherriff on the same teams as Nottingham, we could have a battery of Sherriff and Nottingham.
You beat me to it. I feel Wrath in every Bone in my body.
Any chance Sherriff can come out of the ‘pen to a Lil Jon song? Feels appropriate.
(See above) Or Andrew Chafin, who carries the nickname “the Sheriff”.
It’s amazing that as we are about to enter an era of tremendous catching talent in MLB, there isn’t even moderate current catching talent, let alone star talent. The next five years should be fun to watch the position.
Nottingham, 26, was selected by the Astros in the sixth round of the 2013 draft
Ahhh, the Astro connection…Marvelous!
Also, i wonder if Robin Hood from Nottingham Forrest will be the next signing
It’s a distant leap, but still
Nice guy! Hope he gets an opportunity that my Brewers never gave him!
This might be a dumb idea,but if non-40 man players can sign minors contracts during lockout, couldn’t a motivated team/FA player work around lockout by signing a minors contract that has MLB level pay and a stipulation of being rostered before first day of 2022 season?
For example, couldn’t a team and Carlos Correa agree to a 10/300 mil minors contract if they wanted?
I don’t know the answer if a player could, but that’d be an awful look for a player if it was possible. You’d end up a villain in your locker room and among your peers. On top of that, what would be the gain for the player? You’d set yourself up as a man apart, and you still wouldn’t get the money until everyone else did.
I’d imagine an owner who did that would be less than popular in his circle, too. Breaking ranks in a labor dispute doesn’t win you friends on your side.
So because he wasn’t off a fourth man at the conclusion of the season. He was on all season
No. Max minor rules is $4 million, no incentives. Good idea, but a no go.
He was considered the steal of the Scott Kazmir trade….
My guess is that Wynns comes back too. Both of those guys crack the opening day roster and one of them ends up DFA’d when AR gets the call.
Jacob Nottingham is not a good catcher nor can he hit. The Os were better off bringing back Nick Ciuffo. He had a good track record throwing out runners and looks like he really loves catching. He may never hit however but you can win with a Rick Dempsey type behind the plate.
So you don’t like the Nottingham signing, but you would have been ok with Nick Ciuffo (LOL) getting a deal there, partly because “he looks like he really loves catching”.?? This is a depth move, nothing more, nothing less. They could still sign someone like Ciuffo, and neither would move the needle an inch.
Neither is the catcher for more than a few weeks. The O’s are completely empty at the top of minors/majors with catchers. They’ll need to sign at least 2 more.
Nottingham can’t catch; Ciuffo can.
I agree with you Garry. Nick was never really given an opportunity last year so hopefully they will bring him back.
There certainly is room for Ciuffo.
Orioles can always get Rick Dempsey out of retirement!
I believe they contacted him, and, given his age, offered the MLB minimum while agreeing to waive the physical.
Nottingham in Camden all has a very old english sound to it.
Sadly for the Orioles, unless the the service time manipulation issues are resolved or they just role right out the gate with Adley Nottingham would be the opening day Catcher
MISSED IT BY THAT [ = ] MUCH !!
According to informed sources, The Marlins were in on Jacob Nottingham right up until he signed the deal to join the Orioles.. The Marlins made a “strong” offer, but not one that matched the Orioles’ financial commitment. The Marlins weren’t the only team to be outbid.
The Minnesota Twins had also been linked to Nottingham.