Nick Kurtz Selected as 2025 American League Rookie of the Year
11/10/2025 7:27:00 PM | Baseball
Kurtz becomes the first Rookie of the Year in Wake Forest baseball history.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Former Wake Forest baseball All-American Nick Kurtz of the Athletics was named the 2025 American League Rookie of the Year, as announced by the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) on Monday evening.
Kurtz becomes the first Rookie of the Year in Wake Forest baseball history.
He had arguably one of the greatest rookie seasons in MLB history and likely has a case for some down-ballot AL MVP votes with what he just pulled off. Debuting on April 23, just 283 days from the date he was drafted, Kurtz ended up leading all MLB rookies in home runs (36), RBIs (86), extra-base hits (64), runs (90), slugging percentage (.619) and OPS (1.002), becoming just the eighth rookie since 1901 to post an OPS over 1.000 (min. 400 plate appearances) and first since Aaron Judge in 2017.
Though he arrived with just 32 Minor League games under his belt, at no point did Kurtz ever look overmatched at the highest level.
On July 25, the 22-year-old slugger put on a performance for the ages, going 6-for-6 with four home runs against the Astros at Daikin Park to become the first rookie in AL/NL history with a four-homer game and only the 20th player overall.
Born and raised in Lancaster, Pa., Kurtz helped solidify the Wake Forest baseball program into a national powerhouse as soon as he set foot on campus.
Overall, Kurtz finished his Wake Forest career with a .333 batting average, 189 hits, 206 runs scored, 182 RBIs, and 61 home runs. He currently ranks inside the top five in program history in career walks (first), slugging percentage (first), home runs (second), total bases (third), and runs scored (third).
After wrapping up an incredible college career, Kurtz was one of three Demon Deacons to be selected in the top-10 of the 2024 MLB Draft, being selected fourth overall by the Athletics.
After spending the end of the 2024 season and the beginning of the 2025 season in the minor leagues, Kurtz was officially called up to the majors on April 23, making his MLB debut against the Texas Rangers.
While at Wake Forest, Kurtz appeared in 54 games with 53 starts during one of the most dominant freshman campaigns in program history as he tied the freshman runs scored record (65) and finished in the top 10 in home runs (tied for second), walks (second), RBIs (tied for second), hits (fifth) and doubles (tied for ninth) by a Demon Deacon rookie. He finished his debut season with a .338 batting average while also adding 69 hits, 65 runs, 56 RBIs, 48 walks, and 15 home runs. Kurtz also led the ACC with a .422 batting average and .548 on-base percentage in conference play, helping him earn Third Team All-ACC and All-ACC Rookie honors, as well as Freshman All-American honors by D1Baseball, Perfect Game, Baseball America, the NCBWA and Collegiate Baseball.
Kurtz and the Demon Deacons built on his first collegiate season with an incredible 2023 campaign, as he and Wake Forest made their first appearance in the College World Series since 1955. During his sophomore year, Kurtz appeared in and started all 56 games for the Deacs, finishing the season with a .353 batting average while also adding 67 hits, 69 RBIs, and 24 home runs. He also ranked second in the ACC in home runs, walks (63), runs scored (76) and slugging percentage (.784), with his walks and slugging percentage also ranking in the top-10 nationally. As a result of his stellar play, Kurtz was named First Team All-ACC, a First Team All-American by ABCA, Second Team All-American by Baseball America and NCBWA, Third Team All-American by Collegiate Baseball, and a Golden Spikes Award Semifinalist.
Heading into his junior year, Kurtz was named a Preseason All-American by D1Baseball and Perfect Game, Preseason Player of the Year, and Team Captain for the preseason No. 1 team in the country. In his final season with the Deacs, Kurtz led the nation with 78 walks, setting a new Wake Forest single season walks record in the process. Kurtz also set the new program record for career walks (189) while ending the season with a .306 batting average, 53 hits, 57 RBIs, and a team-high 22 home runs. Kurtz also earned First Team All-ACC, All-Region, and Third Team All-American honors while also being named a semifinalist for both the Dick Howser Trophy and the Golden Spikes Award.
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Kurtz becomes the first Rookie of the Year in Wake Forest baseball history.
He had arguably one of the greatest rookie seasons in MLB history and likely has a case for some down-ballot AL MVP votes with what he just pulled off. Debuting on April 23, just 283 days from the date he was drafted, Kurtz ended up leading all MLB rookies in home runs (36), RBIs (86), extra-base hits (64), runs (90), slugging percentage (.619) and OPS (1.002), becoming just the eighth rookie since 1901 to post an OPS over 1.000 (min. 400 plate appearances) and first since Aaron Judge in 2017.
Though he arrived with just 32 Minor League games under his belt, at no point did Kurtz ever look overmatched at the highest level.
On July 25, the 22-year-old slugger put on a performance for the ages, going 6-for-6 with four home runs against the Astros at Daikin Park to become the first rookie in AL/NL history with a four-homer game and only the 20th player overall.
Born and raised in Lancaster, Pa., Kurtz helped solidify the Wake Forest baseball program into a national powerhouse as soon as he set foot on campus.
Overall, Kurtz finished his Wake Forest career with a .333 batting average, 189 hits, 206 runs scored, 182 RBIs, and 61 home runs. He currently ranks inside the top five in program history in career walks (first), slugging percentage (first), home runs (second), total bases (third), and runs scored (third).
After wrapping up an incredible college career, Kurtz was one of three Demon Deacons to be selected in the top-10 of the 2024 MLB Draft, being selected fourth overall by the Athletics.
After spending the end of the 2024 season and the beginning of the 2025 season in the minor leagues, Kurtz was officially called up to the majors on April 23, making his MLB debut against the Texas Rangers.
While at Wake Forest, Kurtz appeared in 54 games with 53 starts during one of the most dominant freshman campaigns in program history as he tied the freshman runs scored record (65) and finished in the top 10 in home runs (tied for second), walks (second), RBIs (tied for second), hits (fifth) and doubles (tied for ninth) by a Demon Deacon rookie. He finished his debut season with a .338 batting average while also adding 69 hits, 65 runs, 56 RBIs, 48 walks, and 15 home runs. Kurtz also led the ACC with a .422 batting average and .548 on-base percentage in conference play, helping him earn Third Team All-ACC and All-ACC Rookie honors, as well as Freshman All-American honors by D1Baseball, Perfect Game, Baseball America, the NCBWA and Collegiate Baseball.
Kurtz and the Demon Deacons built on his first collegiate season with an incredible 2023 campaign, as he and Wake Forest made their first appearance in the College World Series since 1955. During his sophomore year, Kurtz appeared in and started all 56 games for the Deacs, finishing the season with a .353 batting average while also adding 67 hits, 69 RBIs, and 24 home runs. He also ranked second in the ACC in home runs, walks (63), runs scored (76) and slugging percentage (.784), with his walks and slugging percentage also ranking in the top-10 nationally. As a result of his stellar play, Kurtz was named First Team All-ACC, a First Team All-American by ABCA, Second Team All-American by Baseball America and NCBWA, Third Team All-American by Collegiate Baseball, and a Golden Spikes Award Semifinalist.
Heading into his junior year, Kurtz was named a Preseason All-American by D1Baseball and Perfect Game, Preseason Player of the Year, and Team Captain for the preseason No. 1 team in the country. In his final season with the Deacs, Kurtz led the nation with 78 walks, setting a new Wake Forest single season walks record in the process. Kurtz also set the new program record for career walks (189) while ending the season with a .306 batting average, 53 hits, 57 RBIs, and a team-high 22 home runs. Kurtz also earned First Team All-ACC, All-Region, and Third Team All-American honors while also being named a semifinalist for both the Dick Howser Trophy and the Golden Spikes Award.
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