In an inaugural event for his developing journey, budding first baseman Nick Kurtz, aged 22, secured the AL Player of the Week title on Monday, recognizing his remarkable performance during the Athletics’ initial series of the season’s second act against Cleveland.
Following the All-Star intermission that temporarily halted regular-season play, the league office’s weekly honor highlighted only the first weekend post-break. Kurtz showcased exceptional prowess during this condensed period, achieving multiple hits in each of the three encounters at Progressive Field, including five instances of extra-base hits.
On the surface, the initial commendation for the emerging first baseman seems unassuming, yet it signifies a promising trajectory. Nonetheless, the “player of the week” recognition belies Kurtz’s recent offensive brilliance. His influence extends beyond just the past week(end); for the preceding nine weeks, he has reigned as baseball’s premier hitter.
Kurtz heightened his profile on Friday with a noteworthy performance, becoming the first MLB rookie to slam four home runs in a single game during a 15-3 rout of the Houston Astros. Kurtz posted a 6-for-6 night with 8 RBI and 19 total bases. The A’s announcers marked the milestone in the broadcast booth with a celebratory butter churn, an ode to Kurtz’s “Big Amish” moniker, recognizing his origins in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
“I’m finding it hard to believe that this day is actually happening; it still seems surreal,” Kurtz shared postgame via ESPN.
Not even Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh, Ronald Acuña Jr., or Kurtz’s NL Player of the Week peer, sought-after trade target Eugenio Suárez, has matched the A’s rookie’s offensive dominance since May’s conclusion. Spanning the 42 games prior to Friday’s eruption, Kurtz maintained a .327/.408/.782 batting line, accompanied by 18 homers, culminating in a 1.190 OPS and 217 wRC+, both league-leading marks.
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“Nick’s insertion into the Rookie of the Year conversation, in a brief time, is notable,” stated A’s skipper Mark Kotsay in Cleveland. “Jacob [Wilson] might hold a slight edge currently. Nevertheless, witnessing their progress and potential over the next 64 games will be exciting.”
Wilson’s stellar first half, marked by his All-Star Game start at shortstop for the AL, has somewhat dimmed Kurtz’s extended hot streak. However, both are achieving uncommon heights for rookie hitters, forming a promising young position-player duo.
“Nick remains in the learning phase,” Kotsay remarked. “Jacob had a bit of a head start.
“However, Nick exhibits rapid learning capabilities.”
‘Now it’s go time’
Kurtz earned his MLB promotion on April 23 after three weeks of overpowering Triple-A pitching, roughly nine months after being selected fourth overall in the 2024 MLB Draft. Initial smoothness eluded him: following his maiden homer on May 13, Kurtz experienced an 0-for-21 slump, diminishing his OPS to a meager .558.
Yet, Kurtz remained composed. Observers of his early big-league conduct expressed no surprise when he not only emerged from his struggles but thrived spectacularly.
“He faced challenges, as everyone does, yet he avoided undue pressure,” A’s hitting coach Chris Cron explained. “It wasn’t catastrophic. Naturally, he aimed for success, but it wasn’t the end of everything.”
“Given his reputation for power, the inability to readily access it might have caused panic among some,” former A’s pitcher and current broadcaster Dallas Braden noted. “Instead, he refined his swing, scattering hits across the field until regaining comfort and power.”
Adjusting his signature patient approach, perfected as an amateur, to the unique demands of major-league pitching required time.
“Waiting for the ideal pitch often results in striking out on three pitches,” he explained. “Adjustments must occur mid-flight, pitch-to-pitch. Aggressiveness is needed on pitches that aren’t necessarily your preference. Initially, I leaned toward excessive patience, often finding myself in unfavorable counts … this game is inherently challenging.”
Kurtz soon realized the necessity of commanding his at-bats rather than allowing the pitcher to dictate terms. Behind the scenes, he tweaked his approach to showcase his strengths against more formidable competition.
“His capacity to articulate his intentions and understand the information we provide doesn’t happen instantly,” Cron noted. “He absorbs and applies insights. Practical application is the most difficult aspect, yet he excels at it.”
All-Star teammate Brent Rooker observed, “His sophisticated approaches, typical of a 22-year-old, combined with the power he exhibits, distinguish him.”
Gradually, Kurtz sharpened his understanding of when to unleash his powerful left-handed swing — “It’s about game awareness and situational play,” he stated — yielding corresponding results.
“Once he found himself in favorable counts,” Braden noted, “it was go time.”
Consequently, Kurtz ascended. On May 20, he broke his hitless streak with a single and a homer against the Angels. Two more followed the subsequent day. A strained left hip flexor briefly interrupted his momentum, yet only one minor-league rehab game — featuring a homer, naturally — was needed before Kurtz rejoined the A’s lineup and resumed his impressive hitting.
‘It’s kind of what you dream about’
As the homers piled up, each impactful swing seemed weightier than the last: A go-ahead blast off Royals closer Carlos Estévez in the ninth in Kansas City. Two walk-off homers against the Astros off elite relievers in Bryan Abreu and Josh Hader. A titanic shot in Detroit — the only homer to reach the greenery beyond Comerica Park’s center-field wall this season — providing the sole runs in a 3-0 victory over the Tigers. And the exceptional night against the Astros.
Whether in pregame practice or high-stakes confrontations with top pitchers, Kurtz’s promised power has been consistently displayed. His ability to clear the fence from foul pole to foul pole is nearly unmatched; only Judge has hit more homers to the opposite field or to straightaway center since June’s commencement.
When Kurtz excels, homers tend to come in succession. This occurred last spring with 14 homers in a 10-game stretch after a sluggish start to his junior season at Wake Forest. Before his call-up this year, he had seven homers across 12 Triple-A games. Now, at the highest level, there’s a five-homers-in-six-games run in June and an 11-homers-in-14-games stretch in July.
Kurtz described this locked-in state: “It’s an incredible sensation, knowing—hit or no hit—the swing’s feel and trajectory. The ball appears enormous. It’s like a dream.”
“It’s astounding,” commented Rooker, a former first-round pick who blossomed into an impact bat at age 28. “As a successful college player, I’d have been overwhelmed if thrown into the majors at 22.”
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‘I don’t think people realize how difficult that is’
Rooker’s gradual development enhances his appreciation for Kurtz and Wilson’s immediate impact as rookies.
“Their ability to quickly adapt and succeed is often underestimated,” he said.
Adding to the dynamic of this unique rookie duo is their contrasting styles. Wilson is a slender, right-handed shortstop who thrives on aggression and unparalleled bat-to-ball skills. Kurtz is a large, left-handed first baseman who frequently whiffs but pulverizes the ball, making strikeouts tolerable.
“There’s no singular hitting method,” Kotsay explained. “Jacob has his style, placing the ball where he intends with seeming magic, similar to Tony Gwynn. Nick impacts the ball powerfully, sending it anywhere. They are distinct hitters with advanced approaches, knowing who they are and their objectives.”
Wilson noted, “His draft was a boon for us, and his impact translates well to the majors. We’re happy to have him and excited to play together for the long term.”
Kurtz’s and Wilson’s Baseball Savant pages are strikingly different, highlighting their commitment to their strengths. Rooker sees this as positive.
“Success lies in excelling at strengths,” he stated. “Everyone here performs at an elite level. Discover your superpower and master it. Improving weaknesses is valuable, but maximizing strengths is more so. These two exemplify that.”
‘Yes … I’m a big leaguer’
Despite Kurtz’s impressive start, he recognizes it as a beginning. “I had zero expectations in Year 1,” he said. “I was unprepared.”
His hot streak will eventually cool, necessitating further adjustments. The Athletics—in transition, with an inexperienced yet promising roster—view each game as a growth opportunity.
“The exciting aspect is that these young guys are developing together,” Cron observed. “Jacob, with his baseball lineage, and Nick, with his remarkable maturity, share a confident mindset: ‘Yes, I’m a big leaguer.’ Nothing fazes them.”
Veterans like Rooker will continue guiding their development, with Kurtz crediting him and Seth Brown. However, the franchise’s future hinges on his generation’s success.
“We might lack all answers,” he acknowledged, “but we’re in this together and will figure it out.”
