Bold statement: Nick Kurtz isn’t changing much despite the big league spotlight, and that steadiness is precisely what keeps him moving forward. But here’s where it gets controversial: a quiet approach from a rising star can be as risky as it is steady when a team is eyeing a dramatic turnaround.
MESA, Ariz.— Standing tall at 6-foot-5, Nick Kurtz isn’t the loudest presence in the Athletics’ clubhouse, yet he’s impossible to miss with his size among teammates. He prefers staying low-key, right where his locker sits in the center of the room, and he’s intentionally kept to his familiar routine even as spring training brings more attention due to his reigning AL Rookie of the Year status at just 22.
Kurtz still heads home to North Carolina during the offseason for downtime—chilling, playing video games, and catching movies when he isn’t training. “First of all, I’m excited for Year 2. I kind of know what to expect and what it’s like to play in the big leagues,” he told reporters before his first Cactus League game against Cleveland. “Am I embracing the spotlight? Not so much. I’m a guy who likes to be out there, but obviously there are a lot more eyes and higher expectations, which I’m all about. I use that as fuel for our team—we have higher expectations of ourselves and what we think we can do, so it’s a good thing.”
A’s manager Mark Kotsay will weigh Kurtz as a potential leadoff option, a role he began exploring in spring training. In his AL opener at the top of the lineup, Kurtz went 0-for-3 with a strikeout in a 6-0 loss to the Guardians, but the idea is to maximize his opportunities to drive value with his bat.
Despite the accolades of 2025, Kurtz remains grounded and thankful for the teammates who helped him reach those heights. “The same way, like he’s 13 years old, he’s never going to change,” Kotsay remarked at Hohokam Stadium. “Watching him in the clubhouse and on the back fields, he comes in the same way—the same guy. He feels blessed to be here, and I don’t think that’s ever going to change.”
Kurtz’s 2025 season was exceptional: he hit .290 with 36 homers, 86 RBIs, and a 1.002 OPS in 117 games, becoming the eighth rookie since 1901 to finish with an OPS over 1.000 while recording at least 400 plate appearances. In July, he joined a rare club by becoming the first major league rookie to hit four homers in a single game, guiding the A’s to a 15-3 win over the Astros.
What’s daily life like for him? Teammate Zack Gelof, who is rehabbing a shoulder injury, jokes that watching Kurtz be that productive can be almost annoying—his opposite-field power makes Gelof shake his head in disbelief. “It’s extremely annoying, not fun, because I know whatever I do I can never hit it opposite field that far,” Gelof quipped.
At 22, Kurtz is banking on the Athletics carrying forward the momentum from a late-2025 surge that left them with a 76-86 finish and improving their start this season to reestablish themselves as a legitimate AL West contender. He values the club’s young core, many of whom have signed long-term deals, and hopes to be part of a team that thrives as they head toward their planned move to Las Vegas in 2028.
“I plan to be here for as long as I can,” Kurtz said. “I’ll be here for the next six years, minimum, so it’s really exciting to know that when we go to Vegas we’ll have guys we’re super familiar with and some of my best friends I’ve made for life, so it’s really fun.”
Former Maui island celebrations captured many of these faces sharing Kurtz’s early success, including his Rookie of the Year milestone announced around Tyler Soderstrom’s wedding in November. But Kurtz remains his own person—unflashy, focused, and committed to simple routines.
“Not a whole lot, maybe a couple beers, just hanging out,” he said when asked about celebrations.
This winter, Kurtz emphasized maintaining a strong body and steady routine for another full major league season, aiming for a playoff berth this time around. He began swinging a bit later in December and increased his weights, but he’s quick to note that he isn’t a big changer: if last year worked, he’ll replicate it.
Center fielder Denzel Clarke appreciates Kurtz’s understated approach. Clarke described him as calm and consistent—calm enough to greet an opposing catcher and then simply play his game.
Drafted No. 4 in 2024 out of Wake Forest, Kurtz impressed the A’s from day one with his maturity. He turns 23 on March 12 and, as Kotsay observed, quickly learned not to chase results but to trust his process—a lesson that helped fuel his breakout year.
In short, Kurtz embodies a calculated blend of quiet confidence and relentless work, a combination that could keep the A’s competitive as they navigate a future in Las Vegas. The question many fans will debate this season is simple: can a calm, understated approach sustain a franchise’s ascent, or does true stardom demand something louder and more disruptive?
