Austin Nola of the San Diego Padres heads off the field in the game against the Chicago Cubs at PETCO Park on June 4, 2023 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Austin Nola was honored at the Hilton Riverside in New Orleans, La. last Saturday night as a National Honoree at the 2023 Louisiana American Italian Sports Hall Of Fame Gala. Aaron, Austin’s Nola’s brother, was also one of the national honorees, but was not able to attend.
Nola was raised in Baton, Rouge, La., just north of the Big Easy, and began to make Major League regional scouts pay attention at Catholic High School. Aaron has had a deserving legacy up to this point in his Major League career with his brother to receive this award.
Austin and Aaron became the first set of brothers to face each other in the playoffs during Game 2 of the 2022 National League Championship Series. Frank Maselli, Chairman of American Italian Culture Center, presented the award to Austin Nola during the segment of his speech, along with an interruption by Austin’s former collegiate head coach at Louisiana State University, 2009 National Champion Paul Mainieri. gave his recognition to Austin and his commitment to the program at LSU along with his strides to get to the major league level.
Austin was thankful to his family that was in attendance Saturday night, along with his brother Aaron, for helping him transfer his talents to the catcher position after being a utility infielder from college onto the Major Leagues.
Austin Nola told World Baseball Network that he is very excited about this upcoming MLB season as the starting catcher with the San Diego Padres along with being inducted as an honoree into such a prestigious class of Louisiana baseball and sports icons.