Athletics First Baseman Nick Kurtz Is Al Rookie Of The Year Braves

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Nov 17, 2025, 5:40 PM

athletics first baseman nick kurtz is al rookie of the year braves

Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz waits for the pitch during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Scott Marshall, file) Atlanta Braves’ Drake Baldwin (30) celebrates Marcell Ozuna (20) in the second inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart, file)

Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson dives by can’t reach a ball hit for a single by Pittsburgh Pirates’ Andrew McCutchen during the first inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, file) Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Cade Horton (22) throws against the New York Mets during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025, in Chicago.

(AP Photo/Erin Hooley, file) Athletics slugger Nick Kurtz was accompanied by a good friend as he joined one exclusive club on Monday night. Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz has been unanimously named the American League Rookie of the Year. Kurtz beat out his teammate, shortstop Jacob Wilson, and Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony to claim the honor with all 30 votes. Kurtz — nicknamed “The Big Amish” for his upbringing in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, a community with a large Amish population — becomes the ninth player in A's franchise history to win the Rookie of the... The Athletics’ first winner was in 1952, when Harry Byrd earned the honor as a member of the Philadelphia Athletics.

The franchise also produced back-to-back winners in 2004 (shortstop Bobby Crosby) and 2005 (relief pitcher Huston Street) and three years in a row from 1986-88 with José Canseco, Mark McGwire and newly hired Atlanta... Wilson finished second in the award race with 23 second-place votes (107 total voting points). The Boston Red Sox's Roman Anthony finished third in voting with 72 points, including 15 third-place votes. With this Kurtz's victory, the Athletics now trail only the Yankees in the American League — and the Braves and Dodgers overall — for the most Rookie of the Year awards. This is their first such award since 2009, when Andrew Bailey won it. This season was one of uncertainty for the Athletics, who missed the playoffs for the fifth straight season amid the first year of their temporary relocation to Sacramento.

Still, the team’s young players provided a bright spot amid the transition. Athletics slugger Nick Kurtz was accompanied by a good friend as he joined one exclusive club on Monday night. Kurtz was a unanimous choice for American League Rookie of the Year, and Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin won the National League award. “It’s a great honor that I’m going to be put up with some of baseball’s greats who won the award,” Kurtz said. “It puts some finishing touches on the year, look back on it and enjoy what I’ve done a little bit.” The 22-year-old Kurtz is the 14th unanimous selection for the AL honor and the second from the A’s franchise, joining Mark McGwire in 1987.

Finishing right behind Kurtz was A’s teammate Jacob Wilson, and Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony was third. It was the fifth time in the AL and ninth time overall that teammates finished in the top two spots in Rookie of the Year balloting. The last time it happened in the AL was the Mariners’ Alvin Davis and Mark Langston in 1984. Athletics slugger Nick Kurtz is a unanimous choice for American League Rookie of the Year, and Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin is the winner of the National League honor Athletics 1B Nick Kurtz Wins AL Rookie of the Year Award, Braves C Drake Baldwin Wins NL Honor FILE - Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz waits for the pitch during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Tuesday, Sept.

23, 2025, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Scott Marshall, file) Athletics slugger Nick Kurtz was accompanied by a good friend as he joined one exclusive club on Monday night. Kurtz was a unanimous choice for American League Rookie of the Year, and Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin won the National League award. Athletics slugger Nick Kurtz was a unanimous choice for American League Rookie of the Year, and Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin won the National League award. The 22-year-old Kurtz batted .290 with 36 homers, 86 RBIs and a 1.002 OPS in 117 games this year.

The first baseman became the eighth rookie since 1901 to finish with an OPS over 1.000 while making at least 400 plate appearances. A’s teammate Jacob Wilson was second in balloting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America that was announced on Monday night. Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony was third. Baldwin, 24, stepped up for Atlanta after No. 1 catcher Sean Murphy was sidelined by a cracked rib in spring training. While Murphy was limited by injuries for much of the year, Baldwin hit .274 with 19 homers, 80 RBIs and an .810 OPS in 124 games.

Baldwin’s win secured an extra selection for Atlanta after the first round in next year’s amateur draft under the collective bargaining agreement’s prospect promotion incentive. Major League Baseball kicked off its annual awards week festivities on Monday night by announcing the winners of the Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year award in each league. (The Manager of the Year awards will be handed out on Tuesday, the Cy Young awards on Wednesday, and the Most Valuable Players on Thursday.) These awards are voted on by 30 members of the Baseball Writers Association of America (that's two per MLB city in each league). Votes were submitted before the beginning of the playoffs, meaning that only regular-season contributions are taken into account. Here are MLB's 2025 Rookie of the Year award recipients.

Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz took home the honors in the American League, topping teammate and Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson and Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony. He is the 14th AL player to win the award unanimously and the second A's player, joining Mark McGwire (1987). Kurtz is the first Athletics player to win Rookie of the Year since closer Andrew Bailey in 2009. He's the first position player to do it since shortstop Bobby Crosby in 2004. Overall, Kurtz is the ninth Athletics player to ever claim the award, though that accounting includes the franchise's time in Philadelphia and Oakland. Star Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz won the 2025 AL Rookie of the Year award in a unanimous decision, MLB announced Monday.

Nick Kurtz is your 2025 American League Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year! pic.twitter.com/vzz0uIaidS With our All Access Daily newsletter, stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Kurtz, the ninth Rookie of the Year in Athletics franchise history and first since pitcher Andrew Bailey in 2009, beat out his A's teammate, shortstop Jacob Wilson, and Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony... Kurtz, whom the Athletics selected with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, absolutely raked over his first 117 big-league games after being the sixth-fastest player to reach the majors in franchise history following his promotion from Triple-A Las...

A well-deserved honor for the A’s rookie first baseman The American League Rookie of the Year winner was announced Monday evening, and to no one’s surprise A’s first baseman Nick Kurtz took home the award this year, the first Athletic to win it... It was a unanimous pick as Kurtz secured all 30 first-place votes. That caps a historic rookie season for the young slugger. After getting drafted fourth overall just last year, Kurtz rocketed up through the minors and played just 33 games on the farm before getting called up. The lefty masher impressed almost immediately en route to hitting 36 home runs in his first taste of the big leagues, the second-most in baseball among first basemen.

He wasn’t just a power threat though as he also hit .290 and Kurtz’s win didn’t come alone either. Teammate Jacob Wilson, who looked like the early favorite for the award before Kurtz’s promotion, came in second place, the first time teammates have finished 1-2 in Rookie of the Year voting since 1984: Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz added another trophy to his quickly growing case Monday night: AL Rookie of the Year. Of surprise to few, if anyone, the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) announced Kurtz as the unanimous 2025 winner. He is the second player from the Athletics to win the award unanimously, joining Mark McGwire (1987).

This comes days after Kurtz became the only rookie to be among the 2025 Silver Slugger Award winners. Kurtz is the ninth Rookie of the Year in Athletics franchise history. This is second in the American League to the 10 from the New York Yankees. The previous eight are McGwire, Harry Byrd (1952), Jose Canseco (1986), Walt Weiss (1988), Ben Grieve (1998), Bobby Crosby (2004), Huston Street (2005) and Andrew Bailey (2009). Additionally, Kurtz is the eighth AL first baseman to win the award. The others are McGwire, Walt Dropo (1950), Chris Chambliss (1971), Mike Hargrove (1974), Eddie Murray (1977), Alvin Davis (1984), and Jose Abreu (2014).

Kurtz slashed .290/.383/.619 (122-for-420) across 117 games in 2025. He had 26 doubles, two triples, 36 homers, and 86 RBI. Notably, he had a 1.002 OPS — one of three hitters in the majors with at least 400 plate appearances to break the 1.000 OPS barrier. The others are familiar even to non-baseball fans: Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani. The capstone of Kurtz’s season came July 25 in Houston. That night, Kurtz went 6-for-6 with four homers and a double.

Additionally, he had 19 total bases, eight RBI, and a record-tying six runs scored. His 19 total bases tied the single-game record set by Shawn Green in 2002. In addition to being the first rookie to score six times in a game, Kurtz was the first Athletics player and first rookie to have a four-homer game. Since no one has ever hit five in a game, Kurtz tied that record as well. His teammate, shortstop Jacob Wilson, finished second in the voting. This marked the fifth time in the AL that teammates were the winner and runner-up.

The others were Ron Hansen and Chuck Estrada (Orioles, 1960), Gary Peters and Pete Ward (White Sox, 1963), Fred Lynn and Jim Rice (Red Sox, 1975), and Alvin Davis and Mark Langston (Mariners, 1984). It has happened far more recently in the NL, where it has occurred four times. The four pairs are Jack Sanford and Ed Bouchee (Phillies, 1957), Jerome Walton and Dwight Smith (Cubs, 1989), Craig Kimbrel and Freddie Freeman (Braves, 2011), and Michael Harris II and Spencer Strider (Braves, 2022).

Athletics First Baseman Nick Kurtz Is Al Rookie Of The Year Braves

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