BASEBALL

Nick Kurtz & Drake Baldwin named MLB Rookies of the Year

3 months ago - Sportingbase

The 2025 Major League Baseball Award winners are now starting to be announced. On Monday we found out who the Rookies of the Year are. Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz of Lancaster, Pennsylvania was named the American League Rookie of the Year and Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin of Madison, Wisconsin was named the National League Rookie of the Year.

Among rookies this season, Kurtz led the Major Leagues in home runs (36), runs batted in (86), runs (90), walks (63), slugging percentage (.619) and total bases (260). He also had 122 hits, 26 doubles, two triples, two stolen bases, an on base percentage of .383 , three sacrifice flies and a batting average of .290. Kurtz’s most notable game came on July 25. In a 15-3 Athletics win over the Houston Astros, he had four home runs, and had six hits, eight runs batted in, and 19 total bases. He became the first rookie ever with four home runs in a game, and tied the MLB record for most total bases in a game. Kurtz is one of two Athletics players to have a breakout rookie season in 2025. The other is shortstop Jacob Wilson of Los Angeles, California.

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Baldwin led the National League in RBIs (80) and was second in the National League in home runs (19). The only National League rookie with more home runs was Agustin Ramirez of the Miami Marlins (21). Baldwin also had 56 runs scored, 111 hits, 18 doubles, two triples, 38 walks, 190 total bases, a batting average of .274, on base percentage of .341 and a slugging percentage of .469. On August 7, he had his most memorable game of the season as he had two home runs and five runs batted in an 8-6 Braves win over the Marlins.