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Nick Kurtz Wins Unanimous Al Rookie Of The Year Award In 2025

Bonisiwe Shabane
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nick kurtz wins unanimous al rookie of the year award in 2025

Nick Kurtz was unanimously named American League Rookie of the Year by the BBWAA after what was a historic season in the green and gold. Kurtz becomes the ninth A’s player ever to win the award and the first Athletic since Andrew Bailey in 2009. Alongside Kurtz, Jacob Wilson came in 2nd with 107 votes. That was ahead of Roman Anthony (BOS), Noah Cameron (KCR) and Colson Montgomery (CWS). Neither Denzel Clarke nor Jacob Lopez placed, but Luis Morales earned one vote from a local writer. He now joins the likes of Harry Byrd (1952), Jose Canseco (1986), Mark McGwire (1987), Walt Weiss (1988), Ben Grieve (1998), Bobby Crosby (2004), Huston Street (2005), and Andrew Bailey (2009) as A’s to...

When Kurtz was called up ahead of his debut on April 23, he played just 32 games in the minor leagues since being drafted in 2024, and it took him just 283 days to... The “Big Amish” immediately found his groove and would go on to lead all rookies in home runs (36), RBIs (86), extra-base hits (64), runs (90), slugging percentage (.619) and OPS (1.002). According to MLB.com, Kurtz becomes “the eighth rookie since 1901 to post an OPS over 1.000 (min. 400 plate appearances) and first since Aaron Judge in 2017.” Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz has won the American League Rookie of the Year award. (Michaela Schumacher / MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Nick Kurtz did not crack the A’s roster for opening day. He did not hit a home run until his 17th big league game, and didn’t connect on his second until nearly a month deep into his big league career. At the time, it looked like his teammate, shortstop Jacob Wilson, was the early heavy favorite for an award that wasn’t at all on Kurtz’s mind at the time. The young first baseman was just worried about proving he was worthy of a roster spot. On Monday — six months later — he was unanimously voted the American League’s Rookie of the Year, after completing one of the most impressive rookie seasons in baseball history. He’d already earned the American League Silver Slugger award at first base the week prior.

“I’ve always had that confidence in myself, that I’m able to do that — be the centerpiece of a lineup, and help that lineup score a bunch of runs,” Kurtz told The Athletic in... “I think having that confidence in yourself is huge in this game.” 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 star first baseman Nick Kurtz wins 2025 AL Rookie of the Year Award originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area Star Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz won the 2025 AL Rookie of the Year award in a unanimous decision, MLB announced Monday.

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... The Lancaster, Pennsylvania native and Wake Forest product led all rookies with 36 home runs, 86 RBI and a 5.4 WAR while slashing .290/.383/.619 with a 1.002 OPS and 63 walks. Kurtz, too, led all first basemen in OPS while joining Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge as the lone players with at least 400 plate appearances to finish with an OPS over 1.000. 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). 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...

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