May 20, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of the Seattle Mariners armed forces day hat in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Brett Davis-Imagn Images

New Mariners Coach Brings Unique Perspective To Team

Originally posted on Fastball on SI | By Curt Bishop | Last updated Jan 15, 2026 10:32 AM ET

The Seattle Mariners experienced some heartbreak in the playoffs last year, falling just short in the ALCS against the Toronto Blue Jays. However, they’ve already made some big changes.

One of their changes was with their coaching staff. They hired a familiar face to be their next bullpen coach: former catcher Austin Nola. He was hired in mid-November after the Mariners were eliminated.

He is the brother of Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola, spending the 2019 and 2020 seasons with Seattle. But he brings something unique to the Mariners’ coaching staff that isn’t always common in the game, which makes him an interesting hire.

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What Austin Nola Brings To Seattle

“Because he has barely hung up his cleats, this will be Nola’s first true coaching job. Yet despite a lack of specific experience in this realm, he does bring 15 years of experience as a player in pro baseball -- and an incredibly unique path that led to this point,” Daniel Kremer wrote.

Not often does the game see coaches that go straight from playing into their new roles, especially without any experience. However, he is following in the footsteps of current Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt, who went straight into a new role as the bullpen coach for Seattle before later joining the Guardians.

But even without experience as a coach, Nola is somebody that understands the game. As a catcher, there is a lot to take in with each individual pitcher. There is a lot of information to learn and tendencies that each pitcher has.

But Nola knows all this. He has been a mentor for pitchers in the past, and now he can do that again, but as a coach rather than a catcher. He can also prepare the catchers in the Mariners’ system to deal with the pitching staff and help them understand the flow of the modern game.

Nola can bring a lot to the table. He has plenty of professional experience that gives him a huge advantage as a young coach.

It will be interesting to see how everything plays out for him and what he’ll be able to do to help the Mariners out in 2026 and beyond. He brings a lot of wisdom to the table.

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This article first appeared on Fastball on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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