Here S How Our Al Roy Ballots Played Out As Kurtz Was Unanimous Choice

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Nov 17, 2025, 3:43 PM

here s how our al roy ballots played out as kurtz was unanimous choice

MLB awards season is officially underway, with the announcement of this year’s top rookies Monday serving as the opening act in a week celebrating baseball’s best from the 2025 season. The Athletics’ Nick Kurtz took home the Jackie Robinson AL Rookie of the Year Award unanimously. His teammate, shortstop Jacob Wilson, finished second with 23-second place votes. The Red Sox’s Roman Anthony finished third in the race with three second-place votes and 15 votes for third. Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin was also named NL Rookie of the Year on Monday. This year’s Rookie of the Year ballot came with a new wrinkle, as it was expanded from three to five spots, affording voters the opportunity to recognize a few more rookies from the season...

(For reference, MVP ballots have long featured 10 spots, and Cy Young ballots expanded from three to five in 2010). Each award’s electorate is made up of two representatives from each of the 15 chapters of the Baseball Writers Association of America coinciding with the 15 markets in each league, amounting to a total... This year, two of the 30 voters for AL Rookie of the Year were members of our MLB team: Russell Dorsey from the Chicago chapter and Jordan Shusterman from the Cleveland chapter. The American League Rookie of the Year award is one of the most exciting honors in baseball, representing the emergence of the game’s future stars. This year, however, the voting process felt less like a debate and more like a simple acknowledgment of greatness. Across all of our ballots, the result was a resounding, uncontested consensus: [Player’s Name, e.g., “Tyler Kurtz”] of the [Team Name, e.g., “New York Aviators”] was our unanimous selection for the award.

In a season that saw a solid crop of new talent emerge, [Kurtz] didn’t just stand out—he eclipsed the field. His performance wasn’t just good for a rookie; it was elite by any standard. When a player earns a unanimous vote, it means they didn’t just fill a box score; they redefined expectations for a first-year player. Here is the statistical and impact breakdown that made [Kurtz] undeniable: Statistics are only half the story. The consensus among our voters also came from how [Kurtz] affected winning.

While the race for first place was nonexistent, the competition for the remaining spots was fierce, highlighting the depth of AL talent this year. Nick Kurtz of the Athletics was unanimously selected as the 2025 American League Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year. Kurtz is the 14th player to win the AL award by a unanimous vote and the second for the A’s, joining Mark McGwire (1987). Other unanimous winners in the AL: Carlton Fisk (1972), Sandy Alomar Jr. (1990), Tim Salmon (1993), Derek Jeter (1996), Nomar Garciaparra (1997), Evan Longoria (2008), Mike Trout (2012), Jose Abreu (2014), Aaron Judge (2017), Kyle Lewis (2020) and Gunnar Henderson (2024). There have been 13 unanimous winners in the National League.

This election marks the ninth time an A’s player has been honored, the second most in the AL to the Yankees’ 10. Other A’s winners: McGwire, Harry Byrd (1952), Jose Canseco (1986), Walt Weiss (1988), Ben Grieve (1998), Bobby Crosby (2004), Huston Street (2005) and Andrew Bailey (2009). Kurtz is the eighth first baseman to win the AL award. He joins a list featuring McGwire, Abreu, Walt Dropo (1950), Chris Chambliss (1971), Mike Hargrove (1974), Eddie Murray (1977) and Alvin Davis (1984). The 1-2 finish by Kurtz and Jacob Wilson in the voting is the fifth time in the AL and the ninth time overall that teammates were the winner and runner-up in balloting. Others to do so were the Orioles’ Ron Hansen and Chuck Estrada in 1960, the White Sox’ Gary Peters and Pete Ward in 1963, the Red Sox’ Fred Lynn and Jim Rice in1975 and...

It occurred four times in the NL: the Phillies’ Jack Sanford and Ed Bouchee in 1957, the Cubs’ Jerome Walton and Dwight Smith in 1989, the Braves’ Craig Kimbrel and Freddie Freeman in 2011... Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz was named 2025 American League Rookie of the Year on Monday after receiving all 30 first-place votes from members of the BBWAA. Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson finished second, while Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony came in third. It's the ninth time in MLB history that teammates finished first and second in Rookie of the Year voting. The 22-year-old Kurtz enjoyed an incredible rookie season, slashing .290/.383/.619 with 36 home runs, 26 doubles, 86 RBIs, and a 1.002 OPS across 117 games. He also led all MLB rookies in runs, homers, RBIs, walks, slugging, OPS, and fWAR.

"It's a great ending to the first year," Kurtz told MLB Network. 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. The AL Rookie of the Year Award has been awarded to Athletics' Nick Kurtz unanimously, reflecting his outstanding debut season. Kurtz excelled at the plate, leading all rookies in multiple statistical categories, including home runs and OPS. Jacob Wilson from the Athletics and Roman Anthony from the Red Sox rounded out the top three, showcasing significant contributions to their teams.

The Rookie of the Year ballot expanded this season, allowing for greater recognition of talented newcomers. Voter ballots revealed differing opinions on placement among the top rookies, highlighting the competitiveness of the class. With Kurtz showing immense potential, expectations will rise for his performance in the coming seasons. Teams will continue to assess the impact of young players like Wilson and Anthony as they develop further. Future drafts may see scouts focusing more on colleges and prospects thanks to the success of rookies like Kurtz. Nick Kurtz's historic rookie season not only earned him unanimous recognition but also set a precedent for future awards, demonstrating that the spotlight can shine on exceptional young talent in MLB.

Here S How Our Al Roy Ballots Played Out As Kurtz Was Unanimous Choice

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