Nick Kurtz Bio
Nicholas Jeffrey Kurtz, nicknamed “Big Amish,” is an American professional baseball first baseman for the Athletics of Major League Baseball (MLB). Born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, he rose through the amateur ranks as a decorated prospect before being selected by Oakland with the fourth overall pick in the 2024 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut in 2025 and went on to capture the American League Rookie of the Year Award that same season. Standing at 6 ft 5 in and listed at 240 pounds, Kurtz has quickly emerged as one of the most imposing power hitters of his generation.
Early Life and Background
Kurtz was born on March 12, 2003, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to Jeff and Marie Kurtz. He grew up alongside two brothers and one sister, and his older brother Logan went on to play collegiate baseball at Penn State Berks. His father works in real estate, and the family supported his early interest in athletics by enrolling him in tee-ball when he was just four years old. Lancaster, known for its large Amish community, would later become a touchstone for his well-known nickname.
Kurtz spent his freshman year of high school at Manheim Township High School in Pennsylvania before transferring to the Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. At Baylor he lettered all four years in baseball and three years in basketball, demonstrating rare two-sport talent for a player of his size. During his sophomore year, he committed to Wake Forest University to continue his baseball career at the collegiate level.
Path to Baseball
Kurtz’s rise in baseball began on the international stage when he represented the USA 12U National Team and won a gold medal at the 2015 World Cup. The experience helped him build a foundation against top-tier youth competition and foreshadowed his projection as a high draft pick. By the time he arrived at Wake Forest, he was already regarded as one of the most polished power-hitting prospects in the country.
As a freshman with the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in 2022, Kurtz was named a freshman All-American after slashing .338/.471/.637 with 15 home runs and 56 runs batted in across 54 games. He elevated his performance as a sophomore in 2023, hitting .353/.527/.784 with 24 home runs and 69 RBI, earning first team All-American honors from the American Baseball Coaches Association. In his junior year of 2024 he was named team captain and produced a .306/.531/.763 line with 22 home runs and 57 RBI. He left Wake Forest as the program’s all-time leader in walks with 189.
Nick Kurtz Career
Early Career (2024)
Kurtz entered the 2024 MLB draft as one of the top prospects in the class. The Oakland Athletics selected him in the first round with the fourth overall pick, making him a centerpiece of the organization’s rebuilding effort. On July 22, 2024, he signed with Oakland and received a $7 million signing bonus, signaling the franchise’s long-term commitment to his development.
Following the signing, Kurtz was assigned to the Athletics’ minor league system. He split his first professional season between the Single-A Stockton Ports and the Double-A Midland RockHounds, adjusting to professional pitching while continuing to refine his plate discipline. His brief minor league stint ended after just 32 total games, when Oakland promoted him to the major leagues in 2025.
MLB Debut and Rookie Breakthrough (2025)
Kurtz was promoted to the major leagues on April 21, 2025, after only 32 games in the minors. He made his MLB debut two days later against the Texas Rangers, going 1-for-4 with an RBI single in his first appearance. On May 13, he hit his first career home run off J. P. Feyereisen of the Los Angeles Dodgers, signaling the start of a rapid ascent.
On June 16, Kurtz delivered a two-run walk-off home run off Bryan Abreu of the Houston Astros to give the Athletics a 3–1 victory. The blast traveled a Statcast-projected 447 feet, making it the longest walk-off homer by an Athletics player since Statcast began tracking in 2015. The moment showcased both his power and his flair for the dramatic in close games.
His defining performance came on July 25, 2025, when he became the first rookie in MLB history and the first Athletics player ever to hit four home runs in a single game. He finished with six hits in six at-bats, including a double and a single, tying Shawn Green’s 23-year-old MLB record with 19 total bases. The home runs came off four different Houston Astros pitchers in a 15–3 victory, and he was later named American League Player of the Month for July after slashing .395/.480/.953 with 11 home runs and 27 RBI. He was the first Athletic to win Player of the Month since Josh Donaldson in September 2013. On September 13, he launched a 493-foot grand slam off Scott Barlow of the Cincinnati Reds, the longest home run ever by an Athletics hitter since Statcast was introduced in 2015 and tied for the longest homer in two years alongside Shohei Ohtani.
Athletics Era (2025–Present)
Kurtz has spent his entire MLB career with the Athletics since his April 2025 debut. His rapid promotion reflected the organization’s confidence in his bat, and he has rewarded that trust with historic rookie production. His combination of patience at the plate, raw power, and calm in high-leverage moments has made him a foundational piece of the Athletics’ lineup.
As the 2025 season progressed, Kurtz emerged as the leading candidate for top rookie honors. His offensive output, highlighted by the four-homer game and the towering grand slam, established him as a perennial middle-of-the-order threat. He was named the 2025 American League Rookie of the Year, cementing his status as a cornerstone for the franchise going forward.
Notable Events and Milestones
Kurtz’s most historic moment came on July 25, 2025, when his four-homer game set a new standard for Athletics hitters and placed him in MLB’s record book alongside Shawn Green. He also authored the longest walk-off home run by an A’s player in the Statcast era and launched the longest Athletics home run of the Statcast era with his September grand slam. In recognition of his historic rookie campaign, he was awarded the American League Rookie of the Year and a Silver Slugger Award.
Nick Kurtz Career Wins
Although individual win totals vary by series, Kurtz’s 2025 achievements stand as his most decorated body of work to date. He captured the American League Rookie of the Year and a Silver Slugger Award, while also earning American League Player of the Month honors for July. His four-homer game, walk-off homer, and record-setting grand slam defined a rookie season unlike any in Athletics history.
Nick Kurtz Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Kurtz was raised in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, by his parents Jeff and Marie Kurtz. His father works in real estate, and his older brother Logan played collegiate baseball at Penn State Berks from 2012 to 2013, helping shape the family’s deep connection to the sport. He also has one sister and another brother, making for a closely bonded household that supported his athletic ambitions from an early age.
Personal Life
Teammates with the Athletics gave Kurtz the nickname “Big Amish,” a playful nod to his 6 ft 5 in, 240-pound frame and his hometown of Lancaster, which has a large Amish community. After hitting home runs, he celebrates by twirling his hands in a circular motion in homage to the Amish tradition of churning butter, though Kurtz himself is not Amish. He signed a contract with Oakland in 2025 worth $7 million, marking the start of his professional career at the game’s highest level.
2025 Season Performance
Kurtz’s 2025 season was one of the most remarkable rookie campaigns in recent memory. After a mid-April promotion, he quickly established himself as a middle-of-the-order force, finishing the year with a Silver Slugger Award and the American League Rookie of the Year. His July surge, anchored by the historic four-homer game, propelled him into the national spotlight and set the tone for the remainder of his debut season.
He punctuated his rookie year with the 493-foot grand slam in September, a swing that underscored both his raw strength and his flair for the moment. Throughout the season, his plate discipline remained a hallmark, a skill he honed at Wake Forest where he set the program’s all-time walks record. The Athletics’ decision to promote him after only 32 minor league games was validated by his immediate impact at the MLB level.
Looking ahead, Kurtz appears firmly entrenched as a building block for the Athletics’ next competitive cycle. His combination of elite power, patience, and poise suggests his 2025 production was a foundation rather than a ceiling. With the Rookie of the Year award and a Silver Slugger already in hand, his trajectory points toward sustained stardom in Oakland.