Athletics’ AL Rookie of the Year Nick Kurtz Prepares for Sophomore Season

Oakland Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz is gearing up for his second MLB season after winning AL Rookie of the Year honors at age 22. The towering slugger hit .290 with 36 home runs and became just the eighth rookie since 1901 to post an OPS over 1.000 with at least 400 plate appearances.

MESA, Ariz. — Standing tall at 6-foot-5 among his Oakland Athletics teammates, Nick Kurtz maintains a low-key presence in the clubhouse despite the increased attention surrounding his remarkable rookie campaign.

The 22-year-old first baseman, fresh off capturing American League Rookie of the Year honors, spent his offseason the same way he always has — returning to North Carolina where he enjoys relaxing, gaming, and catching up on movies between training sessions.

“First of all, I’m excited for Year 2, I kind of know what to expect and what it’s like to play in the big leagues,” Kurtz explained Sunday prior to his initial Cactus League appearance versus Cleveland. “Am I embracing the spotlight? Not so much, I’m a guy who likes to be out there, but obviously there’s a lot more eyes, a lot more expectations, which I’m all about. I use that as our team, we have higher expectations of ourselves and what we think that we can do, so it’s a good thing.”

Manager Mark Kotsay is exploring the possibility of utilizing Kurtz in the leadoff position — where he batted Sunday — to increase the power hitter’s plate appearances throughout the season.

Following his outstanding 2025 campaign, Kurtz remains humble and consistently acknowledges his teammates’ contributions to his success, according to Kotsay.

“The same way like he’s 13 years old, he’s never going to change,” Kotsay observed at Hohokam Stadium. “It’s awesome to watch him in the clubhouse, on the back field, he comes in the same way, the same guy, just feels blessed to be here, and I don’t think that’s ever going to change for him.”

During his debut season, Kurtz posted a .290 batting average alongside 36 home runs, 86 RBIs and a 1.002 OPS across 117 games, joining an exclusive group as only the eighth rookie since 1901 to achieve an OPS above 1.000 with a minimum of 400 plate appearances. His historic July performance saw him become the first major league rookie to launch four home runs in a single game, powering the Athletics to a commanding 15-3 triumph over Houston.

Teammate Zack Gelof, a second baseman recovering from September shoulder surgery, playfully described watching Kurtz’s daily performance.

“It’s extremely annoying, not fun, because I know whatever I do I can never hit it opposite field that far, so I would say annoying,” Gelof joked from his neighboring locker. “Not as fun.”

The young star believes the Athletics can build upon their late-season momentum from their 76-86 finish and establish themselves as AL West contenders. He’s enthusiastic about the organization’s young core, many secured with long-term deals, and wants to contribute to the franchise’s success before their planned relocation to Las Vegas in 2028.

“My plan is to be here for as long as I can,” Kurtz stated. “I’ll be here for the next six years, minimum, so it’s really exciting to know that when we go to Vegas we have guys that we’ll be super familiar with and some of my best friends I’ve made for life, so it’s really fun.”

Several of those teammates were vacationing together in Maui for left fielder Tyler Soderstrom’s November wedding when news of Kurtz’s Rookie of the Year selection broke, allowing them to share in his achievement. True to form, the celebration remained modest.

“Not a whole lot, maybe a couple beers, just hanging out,” he recalled.

The left-handed batter dedicated his winter to maintaining peak physical condition for another complete major league season, one he hopes concludes with postseason baseball. While he delayed his swing work until December and intensified his weight training, his approach remained consistent.

“I’m not a big changing guy, if it worked last year let’s do it again this year,” he explained.

Center fielder Denzel Clarke admires how the modest Kurtz conducts himself professionally. The first baseman exchanged pleasantries with Cleveland catcher David Fry during his first-inning at-bat before grounding out to third base on four pitches.

“I don’t know how under the radar you can be at 6-5, but he’s just a very calm, very chill guy who’s going to go about his day-to-day life,” Clarke noted. “Nothing too crazy, nothing too flashy, he’s just going to be him.”

Chosen fourth overall in the 2024 amateur draft from Wake Forest, Kurtz demonstrated remarkable poise from his April debut. He celebrates his 23rd birthday on March 12.

“I think he learned it really quickly when he got to us, and he mentioned that,” Kotsay reflected. “He did go through a little bit of failure but he found his routines and his processes pretty quickly and recognized you can’t get caught in the results, you just get caught in your process, and I think for a young player to realize that as quickly as he did it showed in the success that he had.”