Rookie Success in Major League Baseball
The challenge of facing Major League pitching is significant, and players moving up from the Minors encounter tough adjustments. However, the achievements of Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz and Braves catcher Drake Baldwin in 2025 suggest otherwise.
On Monday night, Kurtz was awarded the American League Rookie of the Year unanimously, while Baldwin secured the National League honor with 21 out of 30 first-place votes, as announced live on MLB Network by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA).
For the National League, Cubs right-hander Cade Horton finished in second place, followed by Brewers infielder Caleb Durbin.
Kurtz and Baldwin both contributed to their franchises’ rich histories of Rookie of the Year winners. The Dodgers lead with the most awards (18), while Baldwin’s win helped the Braves tie for second place with the Yankees at 10. Kurtz’s accomplishment elevated the A’s to fourth place with nine victories, moving ahead of the Orioles/Browns and Reds, who each have eight.
American League Rookie of the Year: Nick Kurtz, Athletics
In essence, Kurtz delivered one of the finest debut seasons among hitters in Major League history, leading to his unanimous selection. Standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing 240 pounds, Kurtz made his Major League debut on April 23. Over 117 games, he achieved a .290/.383/.619 batting line with 36 home runs, leading all MLB rookies in homers, RBIs (86), runs scored (90), OPS (1.002), OPS+ (173), and wins above replacement (4.6 per FanGraphs, 5.4 per Baseball Reference).
Notably, Kurtz became only the third rookie in the Modern Era to record an OPS+ of 170 or higher (minimum 450 plate appearances), joining José Abreu and Aaron Judge. Furthermore, he made history on July 25 by hitting four homers in a single game, a feat he achieved at Daikin Park, marking him as the first player in A’s history to do so.
National League Rookie of the Year: Drake Baldwin, Braves
Initially expected to need more time in Triple-A, Baldwin surprised everyone by earning the NL Rookie of the Year title. Selected as the club’s third-round pick in the 2022 Draft, he stepped up during the opening of the 2025 season as starting catcher due to Sean Murphy’s injury. After a slow start, he found his rhythm in May with a .389 batting average and a .411 on-base percentage.
Throughout the season, Baldwin posted an OPS of at least .800 over the last three months, ending with a batting line of .274/.341/.469 and leading all NL rookies with 3.1 WAR. His successful debut solidified him as the 10th Rookie of the Year in Braves history.
