Nick Kurtz has clearly slugged his way to a likely American League Rookie of the Year Award atop a list of very good young players. In the NL, Chicago Cubs pitcher Cade Horton leads a less-impressive group.
Besides Horton, other young players likely to get consideration for the NL award are Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin, Cubs third baseman Matt Shaw and infielder Caleb Durbin of the Milwaukee Brewers. Late-season callups Jacob Marsee of the Miami Marlins and the New York Mets’ Nolan McLean have been very impressive. They likely have not played enough to get firm consideration from voters, however.
In the AL, shortstop Jacob Wilson of the Athletics was clearly the best rookie through June. In 71 games before July 1, the 23-year-old hit .339 with 11 homers, 40 RBI. He has battled injuries and played only 30 games since, batting .265 with 3 homers, 16 RBI.
SACRAMENTO, CA: Nick Kurtz of the Athletics watches another of his long drives, this time against the Detroit Tigers at Sutter Health Park on Aug. 26, 2025. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
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Kurtz started slowly after being called up April 23. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound first baseman went on an absolute tear in July and in 102 games is hitting .302 with 30 homers and 74 RBI. In July, he hit .395 with 11 homers and 27 RBI in 24 games.
“I would say I’m a little shocked, surprised,” Kurtz told Gabe Lacques of USA Today. “I knew I was a good hitter but having a really good rookie year is pretty cool to see.”
Coolest of all was one of the most colossal games in history on July 25 against the Houston Astros. Kurtz went 6-for-6 with 4 homers, 1 double, 6 runs and 8 RBI.
He’s the only player to get 6 hits, 6 runs and 8 RBI in a game. He’s also the first rookie and youngest player at 22 to hit four homers in a game. His 19 total bases tied the single-game mark by Shawn Green of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2002.
“The joy of all of it is the humility that he shows day in and day out,” manager Mark Kotsay told Lacques.
White Sox Lead Rookie Crop
The Chicago White Sox already have won 16 more games than a year ago with 15 to play. Rookie infielders Colson Montgomery and Chase Meidroth, catchers Edgar Quero and Kyle Teal and pitchers Shane Smith, Mike Vasil have helped.
- Montgomery, 22, in 56 games: 18 homers, 49 RBI, 36 runs.
- Meidroth, 23, in 107 games: 13 steals, .269, 47 runs.
- Quero, 22, in 98 games: .279, 17 doubles, 36 RBI.
- Teel, 23, in 65 games: .290, 5 homers, 31 RBI.
- Smith, 25, in 26 starts: 122 strikeouts, 6-7 record, 3.78 ERA.
- Vasil, 25, in 43 games: 5-3, 2.53 ERA, 4 saves.
CHICAGO: Kyle Teel of the Chicago White Sox celebrates hitting a home run against the Tampa Bay Rays at Rate Field on Sept. 9, 2025. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Getty Images)
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Other Top AL Rookies
Outfielder Roman Anthony, 21, now on the Boston Red Sox’s injured list, batted .292 with 8 homers, 47 runs in 71 games. Boston went 40-26 (.606) in games he started, 41-40 (.506) when he did not. The lefty hit .310 over his last 52 games before suffering an oblique injury.
NEW YORK: Roman Anthony of the Boston Red Sox hits a two-run home run in the ninth inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Aug. 21, 2025. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
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Minnesota Twins second baseman Luke Keaschall hit .368 in his first seven MLB games in April, then was sidelined 86 games with a broken right forearm after getting hit by a pitch. In 23 games since returning, the 22-year-old has hit .303 with 4 homers, 17 RBI. The right-handed hitter has a blistering .379 average against right-handed pitchers.
Noah Cameron, 25, has been the best rookie pitcher in the AL. The Kansas City Royals’ right-hander has a 7-7 record and 3.00 ERA in 21 starts.
Best NL Rookies
Unlike the past two years, when Corbin Carroll and Paul Skenes were runaway winners of NL rookie honors, the 2025 “race” is not as clear.
In 2023, Carroll got all 30 first-place votes after batting .285 with54 stolen bases, 25 homers, 116 runs and 76 RBI for the Arizona Diamond backs. Last year, Skenes went 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He got 27 first-place votes. San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill finished second in voting after hitting .292 with 24 homers, 90 RBI and 16 steals.
ATLANTA: Drake Baldwin of the Atlanta Braves celebrates with Matt Olson (right) and Eli White (left) after hitting a walk-off single in the 11th inning to defeat the Cincinnati Reds at Truist Park on May 8, 2025. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
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No NL rookie will come close to those numbers in 2025. Here’s a look at the best so far:
- Horton, 23, in 21 games: 10-4 record, 2.70 ERA.
- Baldwin, 24, in 109 games: .270, 15 homers, 64 RBI.
- Shaw, 23, in 113 games: .226, 11 homers, 39 RBI, 16 steals.
- Durbin, 25, in 122 games: .256, 10 homers, 47 RBI. 15 steals.
- Marsee, 24, in 40 games: .340, 5 homers, 27 RBI, 10 steals.
- McLean, 23, in 5 games: 4-1, 1.42 ERA.
Nick Kurtz & The Future
The Athletics hope Kurtz becomes the ninth winner of the AL award in franchise history. The others:
- 1952 SP Harry Byrd: 15-15, 2 saves, 3.31 ERA.
- 1986 OF Jose Canseco: .240, 33 homers, 117 RBI, 15 steals.
- 1985 1B Mark McGwire: .289, 49 homers, 118 RBI.
- 1989 SS Walt Weiss: .250, 3 homers, 39 RBI.
- 1998 OF Ben Grieve: .288, 18 homers, 89 RBI.
- 2004 SS Bobby Crosby: .239, 22 homers, 64 RBI.
- 2005 RP Huston Street: 5-1, 23 saves, 1.72 ERA
- 2009 RP Andrew Bailey: 6-3, 26 saves, 1.84 ERA.
CINCINNATI: Jose Canseco of the Oakland Athletics is congratulated by Mark McGwire (The Bash Brothers) after hitting a home run against the Cincinnati Reds in Game 2 of the 1990 World Series on Oct. 17, 1990. (Photo by Ronald C. Modra/Getty Images)
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Canseco and McGwire helped the Athletics go to the playoffs four times in five years, including three straight World Series, 1988-90. They swept the San Francisco Giants in 1989 and were swept, 4-0, by the Cincinnati Reds in 1990 – and have not been back to the Fall Classic since.
The current team, with an average age of 26.2, is the youngest in the AL second in the league in batting, doubles and slugging average. Pitching is the problem. They are last with a 4.81 team ERA.
Kurtz, Wilson, outfielders Tyler Soderstrom, Lawrence Butler, J.J. Bleday, catcher Shea Langeliers and 30-year-old DH Brent Rooker have combined for 156 homers. That’s a good nucleus.
The Athletics are playing in a minor-league ballpark in Sacramento and hope a new stadium in Las Vegas will be ready by 2028. They already have a bright lights headline performer in Nick Kurtz.
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