- - Athletics 1B Nick Kurtz unanimously wins AL Rookie of the Year

Tarohn Finley November 11, 2025 at 2:33 AM

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The Athletics' Nick Kurtz secured the franchise's ninth AL Rookie of the Year award. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis) ()

Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz has been unanimously named the American League Rookie of the Year. Kurtz beat out his teammate, shortstop Jacob Wilson, and Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony to claim the honor with all 30 votes.

Nick Kurtz is your 2025 American League Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year! pic.twitter.com/vzz0uIaidS

— MLB (@MLB) November 11, 2025

Kurtz — nicknamed “The Big Amish” for his upbringing in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, a community with a large Amish population — becomes the ninth player in A's franchise history to win the Rookie of the Year award. The Athletics’ first winner was in 1952, when Harry Byrd earned the honor as a member of the Philadelphia Athletics. The franchise also produced back-to-back winners in 2004 (shortstop Bobby Crosby) and 2005 (relief pitcher Huston Street) and three years in a row from 1986-88 with José Canseco, Mark McGwire and newly hired Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss.

Wilson finished second in the award race with 23 second-place votes (107 total voting points). The Boston Red Sox's Roman Anthony finished third in voting with 72 points, including 15 third-place votes.

With this Kurtz's victory, the Athletics now trail only the Yankees in the American League — and the Braves and Dodgers overall — for the most Rookie of the Year awards. This is their first such award since 2009, when Andrew Bailey won it.

This season was one of uncertainty for the Athletics, who missed the playoffs for the fifth straight season amid the first year of their temporary relocation to Sacramento. Still, the team’s young players provided a bright spot amid the transition.

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It didn’t take long for Kurtz to make his mark. He debuted April 23, just 283 days and 32 minor league games after being drafted. In his debut against the Texas Rangers, Kurtz went 1-for-4 with a single.

A few weeks later, he hit his first home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers. On July 25, he made MLB history, becoming both the first rookie and first Athletics player ever to hit four home runs in a single game. He finished that contest 6-for-6 at the plate.

Don’t ever let Nick Kurtz borrow a baseball ⚾(MLB x @MattressFirm) pic.twitter.com/nnUZ0vPK04

— MLB (@MLB) November 11, 2025

Although Wilson had a strong start to the season, Kurtz’s late surge made him the clear choice for the award. The Wake Forest product finished the year with 36 home runs, 86 RBI and a .290 batting average, ranking third in MLB with an OPS of 1.002.

The Athletics appear to be trending in the right direction. Their 76-86 record was their best since 2021, and a young core featuring Kurtz, Wilson, Tyler Soderstrom, Shea Langeliers and Lawrence Butler offers promise for the future.

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Source: “AOL Sports”