Cottier was a good-fielding, light-hitting infielder during his nine-year big league playing career. He appeared in 580 games and compiled a lifetime batting average of .220 with 348 hits, 63 doubles, 17 triples and 19 home runs with the Milwaukee Braves (1959–60), Detroit Tigers (1961), Washington Senators (1961–65) and California Angels (1968–69). He finished his career with an overall .973 fielding percentage.
