It was all apparent at Wake Forest. All the talent. All the power.
He was the best hitter in a loaded college lineup. Nick Kurtz can mash.
That’s a big reason why the A’s selected the first baseman fourth overall in the 2024 draft. Why he has already sped through the minor leagues like one of his home runs leaving the ballpark.
Kurtz will begin this year with the Aviators, who open their season Friday against Reno to kick off a nine-game homestand.
He spent spring training with the major league club in Arizona learning more and more about what it takes to be successful. Quick study, Kurtz.
“I got a lot better,” he said. “When you first get there, you haven’t played in a while, so you got to get back used to playing every day, and get back to seeing live pitching. Being with the big league team for a while, I just learned all I can from, you know, the veterans who have been up there, what it takes to stay up there. Just learn that it’s all about finding your groove for when the season is going to start.”
He has always hit.
What to expect
He did so at a .368 clip between Single-A and Double-A last season, got hurt and then hit .353 in the Arizona Fall League. The popular opinion was that Kurtz might begin this year back in Double-A but he impressed enough this spring to start in Las Vegas.
He really didn’t know what to expect, other than working hard every day would ultimately pay off. He left where he landed up to others.
He has learned lessons thus far in professional ball, that mostly it’s a confidence thing. That getting moved up means the organization believes in you.
So be confident in who you are and what you do.
He was a freshman All-American at Wake Forest after hitting .338 with 15 home runs and 56 RBI. He was even better as a sophomore, hitting .353 with 24 homers and 69 RBI over 56 games.
He stands 6-foot-5, 240 pounds, all that power coming from the left side.
“For a first big league camp, the biggest thing for Nick was getting to know the guys,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said from Mesa, Arizona, during spring training. “He has an opportunity to see how much work we put in and to start developing routines. The (veterans) can really help him because they’ve been through the process.
“Obviously, he has made a good impression on the staff. It’s hard not to when you’re gigantic. Hard not to stand out, which he does by just being him.”
The pressure of being such a high pick is undeniable when it comes to the inevitable ups and downs of baseball. Kurtz didn’t have many of the latter his first go-around in pro ball — save a hamstring injury — but knows they’ll arrive.
They do for everyone. It’s how you handle them that separates good from great.
Something to watch
“The pressure for me was the draft,” Kurtz said. “Getting drafted, getting to where I belong, that was the pressure. Now, it’s just kind of going out there and playing. You play 160 games or whatever. I trust in myself and to be consistent in my work. I know it will all take care of itself.”
Said Aviators teammate Colby Thomas: “(Kurtz) is an incredible player. It’s really something to watch him straight out of college, only having (38) minor league at-bats. It’s really impressive to watch him hit the (pitchers) that are plus arms. Really good arms. He’s not chasing their pitch. He’s still waiting to get his pitch and when he puts the barrel on it, it goes a long way. It’s really something to watch.”
It’s more than official: Nick Kurtz can mash.
Contact Ed Graney at [email protected]. Follow @edgraney on X.
