Austin Nola, Aaron’s Older Brother, is Raking For Seattle

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If you’re looking for a feel-good story this baseball season, look no further than Austin Nola, a rookie infielder with the Seattle Mariners and brother of Aaron Nola, the Phillies’ top starting pitcher. Nola made his MLB debut this year at 29-years old, an age where prospects are no longer prospects and where the odds of making it to the bigs are slim, even if you’ve already been there before.

Nola has put his best foot forward, though, proving that he’s able to handle major league pitching. He’s currently hitting .328 for Seattle with a .953 OPS in 29 games, both team-highs for any Mariners player with at least 50 plate appearances.

The elder Nola is making a real case to stick around. Not only is he one of the Mariners’ hottest hitters, but he’s also proved to be a valuable piece on defense. Though he’s primarily been a first baseman for Seattle, Nola’s played five different positions since getting the call to the bigs, and the variety is impressive. He’s played first, second, and third base, as well as a few innings in the outfield and several innings behind the plate.

Austin Nola probably thought it was never going to happen; he started in the minor leagues way back in 2012, going seven full seasons (almost 800 games) without getting that dream-scenario phone call. Finally, it happened…and it’s absolutely a reason why he should be celebrated. After all, for every Austin Nola that gets the call after bussing in the minor their entire pro career, there’s a few hundred that don’t, maybe more.

Seattle isn’t headed for the postseason or anything but they have won four straight and they’re awfully fun to watch. Nola and his unlikely path to big league stardom is just another reason to pay attention and to root for them. While he might never get the fanfare his brother gets, he’s a big leaguer just the same.