Carl Edward Nichols (born October 14, 1962) is a former Major League Baseball (MLB) catcher. He played parts of six seasons in the major leagues, from 1986 until 1991, for the Baltimore Orioles and Houston Astros, appearing in a total of 96 games while batting .204 with 18 RBIs. Nichols was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the fourth round of the 1980 MLB draft. He played in the minor leagues from 1980 through 1991, both before and after his MLB appearances. Nichols later played in the independent Northern League (1993–1995) and Western Baseball League (1996–1997).