Athletics First Baseman Nick Kurtz Unanimously Wins AL Rookie of the Year After Historic Season

Oakland Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz, 22, was the unanimous winner of the American League Rookie of the Year award, beating out teammates Jacob Wilson and Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony. The slugger batted an impressive .290 with 36 home runs, 86 RBIs, and a 1.002 OPS in 117 games, becoming only the eighth rookie since 1901 to achieve an OPS over 1.000 with at least 400 plate appearances. Kurtz, a former Wake Forest star and the No. 4 pick in the 2024 draft, began the season in the minors before making his big league debut on April 23 with an RBI single. His first homer came on May 13, followed by a multihomer game on May 21. His signature performance on July 25 saw him become the youngest player in MLB history and the first rookie to hit four home runs in a single game, going 6-for-6 with eight RBIs and matching an MLB record with 19 total bases. He received $750,000 from the pre-arbitration bonus pool.