[1] Ott began his professional baseball career in 1970 with the Niagara Falls Pirates of the New York-Pennsylvania League where his manager converted him into an outfielder.

He was briefly promoted to the major leagues, making his debut with the Pirates on June 10, 1974 at the age of 22, before returning to play for Charleston.

[6] The Pirates asked Ott to become a catcher during the 1974 season, and while he initially opposed the move, he eventually agreed as it presented him with the easiest path to return to the major leagues.

[7] Ott made the Pirates major league roster as third-string catcher in 1976, backing up Manny Sanguillén and Duffy Dyer.

[9] Known as a tough, no-nonsense player, Ott was a former Muncy High School star wrestler who was not afraid to use those skills on a baseball diamond.

[13] Led by future Hall of Fame member, Willie Stargell, the 1979 Pirates won the National League Eastern Division pennant, then defeated the Cincinnati Reds in the 1979 National League Championship Series, before winning the 1979 World Series against the Baltimore Orioles.

[16][17] With young catcher Tony Peña ready to take over the catching duties, the Pirates traded Ott to the California Angels in April 1981 with Mickey Mahler for Jason Thompson.

[1] Ott later became a coach with the Houston Astros, serving under manager and former Pirates teammate Art Howe, from 1989 to 1993, where he is remembered for his role in an on-field altercation against the Cincinnati Reds.

Ott was named manager of the Sussex Skyhawks of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball for the 2010 season.