Athletics superstar Nick Kurtz named MLBPA AL Rookie of the Year originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The 2025 Athletics season was far from normal. While the team finished 76-86 and well out of the playoff picture, there was a lot more hope with this team than in years past.
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A huge reason for said hope was the emergence of Nick Kurtz, a rookie slugging first baseman who took the Majors by storm. He had one of the best rookie seasons in recent MLB history and helped paint a positive picture for the Athletics going forward.
As Chris McCoskey of The Detroit News shared, Kurtz, after his incredible rookie year, was chosen by his fellow MLB players as the MLBPA American League Rookie of the Year.
Nick Kurtz named MLBPA AL Rookie of the Year
The 22-year-old nicknamed “Big Amish” had one of the better rookie years in recent MLB history. While he wasn’t named an All-Star due to getting hot later in the year, Kurtz was one of the most electric hitters in baseball this season.
In 117 games played, Kurtz had 122 hits, 90 runs scored, 26 doubles, two triples, 36 home runs, 86 RBIs, and a ridiculous .290/.383/.619 slash line.
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His first season in the Majors, Kurtz had a 1.002 OPS and a 173 OPS+ to go with 5.4 bWAR. The 2024 first-round draft pick was incredible, and looks to be on the verge of an incredible MLB career if he can continue where he left off.
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What makes this award for Kurtz so impressive is just how poorly he began his MLB career. Through the first 23 games of his 2025 season, Kurtz had two doubles, one home run, six RBIs, a .208 batting average, and a .558 OPS.
But, in the next 94 games starting from May 20th until the end of the year, Kurtz was one of the best hitters in baseball. He had 106 hits, 24 doubles, 35 home runs, 80 RBIs, a .309 batting average, and a 1.100 OPS from the middle of May until the end of the year.
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His signature moment came in a late July matchup against the Houston Astros, in which he became one of only a few players in MLB history to hit four home runs in one game, as he went 6-for-6 with four home runs, eight RBIs, and six runs scored in a 15-3 blowout win.
While this award isn’t the official MLB Rookie of the Year honor, Kurtz has a strong case to earn such an accolade. For now, Kurtz is the MLBPA AL Rookie of the Year, as he was named the most outstanding rookie by his peers for his incredible 2025 season.
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