 A highly regarded prospect, Mottola was selected by the Cincinnati Reds with the fifth overall selection of the 1992 MLB draft (one spot ahead of Derek Jeter).Mottola played in minor league baseball for different organizations, receiving major league playing time with the Cincinnati Reds in 1996, the Toronto Blue Jays in 2000 and 2006, the Florida Marlins in 2001 and the Baltimore Orioles in 2004.As he received less playing time in 2007, he began to mentor younger teammates, which helped him transition into a coaching career.