Nolan Watson (baseball)

Nolan Michael Watson (born January 25, 1997) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the first round of the 2015 Major League Baseball draft.

Nolan Watson
Free agent
Pitcher
Born: (1997-01-25) January 25, 1997 (age 28) Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
Bats: Right Throws: Right

Career

At the time of the 2015 Major League Baseball draft, Watson was 5–1 for Lawrence North High School, with an 0.63 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 44+2⁄3 innings. Prior to the draft, he was ranked 56th by Baseball America's annual rankings of prospects. He committed to play college baseball for the Vanderbilt Commodores.^[1]

Kansas City Royals

After his senior year, the Kansas City Royals selected Watson with the 33rd overall pick in the draft. He signed for $1,825,200.^[2]

After signing, Watson was assigned to the rookie-level Burlington Royals, going 0–3 with a 4.91 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 11 starts.^[3] Watson spent 2016 with the Single-A Lexington Legends where he posted a 3–11 record, a 7.57 ERA, 60 strikeouts, and a 1.75 WHIP over 24 starts. In 2017, he played for Lexington, Burlington, and the rookie-level Arizona League Royals, appearing in 22 games (18 starts) where he struggled to a 1–12 record with a 7.87 ERA and 53 strikeouts.^[4] In 2018, Watson played for both Lexington and the High-A Wilmington Blue Rocks, pitching to a combined 10–10 record with a 5.24 ERA and 93 strikeouts in 24 total starts between both affiliates.^[5][6]

Watson began the 2019 season with Wilmington, but pitched in only one game due to injury. He underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2019.^[7] Watson did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.^[8] Watson returned to action in 2021, splitting the season between the Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals and the High-A Quad Cities River Bandits. However, Watson struggled to a 6.30 ERA with 46 strikeouts in 75+2⁄3 innings of work. Watson elected free agency after the season on November 7, 2021.^[9]

San Diego Padres

On February 14, 2022, Watson signed a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres.^[10] He spent the year with the Double-A San Antonio Missions, posting a 4-6 record and 5.84 ERA with 94 strikeouts across 29 games (17 starts).

Watson split the 2023 campaign between San Antonio and the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas. In 26 games (23 starts) split between the two affiliates, he accumulated a 4-6 record and 5.21 ERA with 94 strikeouts across 91 innings pitched.^[11]

Watson made 8 starts Triple-A El Paso in 2024, working to a 4-2 record and 6.81 ERA with 38 strikeouts over 35+2⁄3 innings pitched. He elected free agency following the season on November 4, 2024.^[12]