Oakland Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz was unanimously selected as the American League Rookie of the Year, while Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin won the National League honor with 21 first-place votes. The awards, voted on by the Baseball Writers' Association of America, were announced Monday night on MLB Network. Both players delivered standout debut seasons, leading their leagues' rookies in key statistical categories.
The 2025 MLB Rookie of the Year awards highlighted exceptional performances from young talents adapting to Major League challenges. In the American League, Nick Kurtz, a 22-year-old first baseman for the Oakland Athletics, earned a unanimous victory, receiving all 30 first-place votes. Kurtz, drafted fourth overall in 2024 from Wake Forest, debuted on April 23 after just 32 Minor League games. In 117 games, he slashed .290/.383/.619 with 36 home runs, 86 RBIs, and 90 runs scored, leading all rookies in homers, RBIs, runs, OPS (1.002), OPS+ (173), and wins above replacement (4.6 fWAR, 5.4 bWAR). He became the third rookie since 1900 with an OPS+ of 170 or higher, joining José Abreu and Aaron Judge.
Kurtz's season included a historic July 25 game in Houston, where he hit four home runs in a 6-for-6, eight-RBI performance at Daikin Park, tying the MLB record for total bases (19). "A game like that is stuff you don’t even dream about, because it doesn’t really happen," Kurtz said afterward. "It’s an unbelievable feeling." Despite a hip injury sidelining him in May and June, he posted a .395/.480/.953 line with 11 homers in July and a 1.107 OPS with 19 homers post-All-Star break. Athletics manager Mark Kotsay praised his advanced approach: "We saw in Spring Training how advanced he is for his age. His approach. His ability to make adjustments. … For a young player in his first full season to have the start that he’s had, it’s pretty impressive."
Teammate Jacob Wilson finished second, and Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony placed third. Kurtz is the ninth Athletics player to win the award.
In the National League, Drake Baldwin, 24, secured the Braves' 10th Rookie of the Year honor with 21 of 30 first-place votes. Thrust into the starting role due to Sean Murphy's cracked rib injury, Baldwin debuted on Opening Day as the organization's top prospect. He hit .274/.341/.469 with 19 home runs in 124 games, leading NL rookies with 3.1 fWAR (3.3 bWAR per Baseball Reference). After a slow start, he slashed .389/.411/.593 in May and maintained an OPS of at least .800 in the final three months. Highlights included a six-RBI game against the San Francisco Giants on July 21 and a 3-for-5 effort with two homers and a game-tying single in an August 7 comeback win over the Miami Marlins. Manager Brian Snitker compared him to Brian McCann: "When [Brian McCann] came up it was the same way. [He was] above his years behind the plate and as an offensive player, and Drake’s right there with him."
Defensively, Baldwin ranked in the 92nd percentile with +7 Blocks Above Average and earned praise from pitchers Chris Sale and Spencer Strider. "I didn’t think I’d be in the big leagues [in 2025] at all," Baldwin said in August. "I thought there might be a chance to get called up around this time or as a September call-up. But it’s cool."
Chicago Cubs right-hander Cade Horton finished second, followed by Milwaukee Brewers infielder Caleb Durbin. Baldwin is the first NL catcher to win since Geovany Soto in 2008.
