Athletics Believe Top Prospect, Slugger Nick Kurtz, Is Ready Now
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Slugger Nick Kurtz is headed to the majors after only 45 games as a pro and will play his home games in a minor-league ballpark. That’s where the team formerly known as the Oakland Athletics now call home in Sacramento. “He’s ready now in my estimation,” a National League scout told me last month during an Athletics spring training game. “If he was with a team that was a contender, no, not yet. Too much risk/reward to start your season. Then, you say go grow in the minors, though I’m not sure other than complete pitch recognition there’s much to work on with the bat for him. LAS VEGAS: Nick Kurtz of the Athletics hits a home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first … More inning of a spring training game at Las Vegas Ballpark on March 8, 2025. (Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images) Getty Images “But the A’s are building. They have some good young players on the big-league roster. Add Kurtz and let them all grow together. (Lawrence) Butler, (Jacob) Wilson, (Tyler) Soderstrom, (Max) Muncy and Kurtz are going to have growing pains. Let them go through it together and become a unit, a support group having fun when they do succeed.” Kurtz has succeeded a lot already. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound rookie will be the third player from the 2024 MLB Draft to play in the majors. Kurtz, 22, was the fourth pick overall and got $7 million to sign after a stellar career at Wake Forest. Houston Astros third baseman Cam Smith, taken No. 14 by the Chicago Cubs, and Los Angeles Angels lefty pitcher Ryan Johnson, the last pick of the second round, 74th overall, opened the 2025 season on MLB rosters. Kurtz plays first base. That’s where Soderstrom has taken over. The rookie…
