AB | 44 |
---|---|
AVG | .364 |
OBP | .462 |
SLG | .636 |
HR | 2 |
- Full name Nicholas Jeffrey Kurtz
- Born 03/11/2003 in Lancaster, PA
- Profile Ht.: 6'6" / Wt.: 230 / Bats: L / Throws: L
- School Baylor
-
Drafted in the 1st round (4th overall) by the Oakland Athletics in 2024 (signed for $7,000,000).
View Draft Report
School: Wake Forest
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.4
BA Grade: 55/High
Tools: Hit: 60. Power: 60. Run: 40. Field: 60. Arm: 50.
One of the most well-rounded position players in the 2024 class, Kurtz is a towering, 6-foot-5, 235-pound, lefthanded-hitting first baseman who has been a lethal middle-of-the-order presence in Wake Forest’s lineup since the day he stepped on campus. He homered 15 times as a freshman and then put together back-to-back 20-homer campaigns in each of his next two seasons. He is a career .333/.510/.725 hitter and ranks second on Wake Forest’s career leaderboard with 61 home runs—behind only 2023 first-rounder Brock Wilken—and first with 161 walks. Kurtz has a terrific blend of raw power and advanced bat-to-ball skills with a surprisingly compact swing and a great batting eye. He never expands the zone and is content to take free passes when pitchers work him carefully. His 80% career contact rate is a strong number for a tall, long-levered hitter with his all-fields impact ability. Kurtz has a chance for a plus hit and plus power combination that could lead to a .280 average and 30-plus home runs in his peak years, with a solid offensive floor given his on-base skills. Kurtz finished his career with a 24.1% walk rate, and his 30% mark in 2024 was tops among all Division I hitters. While he is a first baseman, he is a potentially plus defender at the position who moves well around the bag and has reliable hands and a solid throwing arm. Kurtz has dealt with rib and shoulder injuries that have cost him time during his college career, but he should still be a top 10 pick.
Top Rankings
Draft Prospects
-
School: Wake Forest Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.4
BA Grade: 55/High
Tools: Hit: 60. Power: 60. Run: 40. Field: 60. Arm: 50.
One of the most well-rounded position players in the 2024 class, Kurtz is a towering, 6-foot-5, 235-pound, lefthanded-hitting first baseman who has been a lethal middle-of-the-order presence in Wake Forest’s lineup since the day he stepped on campus. He homered 15 times as a freshman and then put together back-to-back 20-homer campaigns in each of his next two seasons. He is a career .333/.510/.725 hitter and ranks second on Wake Forest’s career leaderboard with 61 home runs—behind only 2023 first-rounder Brock Wilken—and first with 161 walks. Kurtz has a terrific blend of raw power and advanced bat-to-ball skills with a surprisingly compact swing and a great batting eye. He never expands the zone and is content to take free passes when pitchers work him carefully. His 80% career contact rate is a strong number for a tall, long-levered hitter with his all-fields impact ability. Kurtz has a chance for a plus hit and plus power combination that could lead to a .280 average and 30-plus home runs in his peak years, with a solid offensive floor given his on-base skills. Kurtz finished his career with a 24.1% walk rate, and his 30% mark in 2024 was tops among all Division I hitters. While he is a first baseman, he is a potentially plus defender at the position who moves well around the bag and has reliable hands and a solid throwing arm. Kurtz has dealt with rib and shoulder injuries that have cost him time during his college career, but he should still be a top 10 pick.