Mariners Sign Jacob Nottingham To Minor League Deal

The Mariners signed catcher Jacob Nottingham to a minor league contract earlier this month, according to his transaction log on MLB.com. This will be his fourth stint with the organization.

Nottingham is a true journeyman, having spent time in seven different MLB organizations throughout a professional career that spans more than a decade. He was drafted by the Astros, who traded him to the Athletics two years later as part of a package for starter Scott Kazmir. The following offseason, the A’s flipped him to the Brewers as part of the return for slugger Khris Davis.

It was with Milwaukee that Nottingham made his MLB debut. He played a handful of games for the Brewers every year between 2018-21, producing a respectable .770 OPS and 103 wRC+ in 99 trips to the plate. His seven home runs and .273 isolated power were particularly impressive, especially for a catcher. On the other side of the ball, he appeared in 36 games behind the dish, compiling 2 Defensive Runs Saved and a +2 Fielding Run Value. Despite the tiny sample size, those defensive numbers were encouraging. Nottingham was always considered a bat-first catching prospect with serious questions about his defense behind the dish.

The backstop became a Mariner in April 2021, although his first stint with the club was short-lived. Seattle claimed Nottingham off of waivers on April 28 only to designate him for assignment and trade him back to Milwaukee on May 2. However, the M’s claimed him again a couple of weeks later, and this time, he stuck around in the organization for the rest of the season. He appeared in 10 games with the Mariners, though he only appeared as a first baseman, designated hitter, and pinch hitter – never as a catcher. Unfortunately, Nottingham performed poorly, going 3-for-26 with 12 strikeouts. He spent most of the rest of the 2021 season on the injured list at Triple-A.

Nottingham has not made it back to the majors since 2021. From 2022-23, he played in the minors with the Orioles, Mariners, Giants, and Nationals, putting up a .745 OPS and a 91 wRC+. He then spent the 2024 campaign playing in the Mexican League. He will now return to affiliated ball, re-joining an organization that clearly likes what he brings to the table. In his age-30 season, Nottingham can provide catching depth for Seattle behind Cal Raleigh, Mitch Garver, Nick Raposo, and top prospect Harry Ford. The Mariners are known to be seeking a right-handed bat this winter, and Nottingham offers depth in that area as well.