Athletics' Power Hitter and Atlanta Braves' Rookie Catcher Named 2025 Rookies of the Year

Facing MLB pitchers is always a tough challenge, and hitters rising from the minors usually need time to adjust. However, Athletics' first baseman Nick Kurtz and Braves' catcher Drake Baldwin completely overturned this notion with their stunning performances in the 2025 season.

Today, Kurtz was unanimously voted the American League Rookie of the Year, while Baldwin received 21 of the 30 first-place votes for the National League award, as the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) results were officially announced on MLB Network.

In the American League, shortstop Jacob Wilson finished second, making the Athletics the ninth team in history to claim the top two rookie honors, and the first pair of position players to do so since the 1989 Cubs (Jerome Walton and Dwight Smith). Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony came in third.

For the National League, Cubs right-hander Cade Horton and Brewers infielder Caleb Durbin placed second and third respectively.

Both winners continued their teams' rookie award legacies. Although the Dodgers lead with 18 awards, Baldwin helped the Braves tie the Yankees for second place historically with 10 awards. Kurtz propelled the Athletics to fourth place all-time with 9 awards, surpassing the Orioles/Browns (8) and Reds (8).

Below is an in-depth analysis of the 2025 Rookies of the Year:

American League Rookie of the Year: Nick Kurtz (Athletics)

Kurtz delivered one of the most impressive rookie seasons in MLB history, earning unanimous selection deservedly.

Standing 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighing 240 pounds, this power hitter debuted on April 23, appearing in 117 games with a slash line of .290/.383/.619 and hitting 36 home runs. He led all rookies in home runs (36), RBIs (86), runs scored (90), OPS (1.002), OPS+ (173), and WAR (4.6 per FanGraphs, 5.4 per Baseball Reference).

Kurtz also became the third rookie since 1900 with an OPS+ over 170 (minimum 450 plate appearances), joining White Sox slugger José Abreu (173 in 2014) and Yankees captain Aaron Judge (171 in 2017).

"This is the perfect way to end my first year," Kurtz said. "I’ll use this as motivation to keep pushing and get stronger next year."

At 22 years old, Kurtz not only posted a historic rookie season but also staged an epic performance on July 25 against the Astros — becoming the first Athletics rookie in team history to hit four home runs in a single game and the first MLB player ever with six hits, four homers, and eight RBIs in one game regardless of experience. His 19 total bases matched the MLB record held by Shawn Green since 2002.

"Going into the game, it felt like just another day," Kurtz recalled of that legendary outing. "Everything just felt incredibly clear, and everything clicked perfectly."

"...I never even dreamed of a night like that, but it all just happened naturally."

Kurtz is the ninth Athletics player to earn Rookie of the Year honors, continuing a tradition dating back to Harry Byrd in Philadelphia in 1952.

Selected fourth overall in the 2024 draft out of Wake Forest University, Kurtz reached the majors after just nine months and 32 minor league games. Ranked 35th on MLB Pipeline’s top prospects at the time, he became the sixth fastest draft pick in team history to reach the big leagues in just 283 days.

Throughout his brief career, Kurtz has been praised for his mature hitting approach. His rookie season quality and plate discipline metrics prove this: barrels rate 18.4% (top 2%), hard-hit rate 51.1% (top 8%), swing speed 77.2 mph (top 2%), chase rate 22.2% (top 14%).

Most impressively, half of his 36 home runs were opposite-field shots, leading all MLB rookies in this category.

"I realized when I’m feeling good and my swing is smooth, the ball naturally goes that way," Kurtz explained. "Knowing this, I focused on improving my opposite-field hitting. It’s the key to staying consistent and keeping my swing stable."

Despite missing time in May and June due to a hip injury, Kurtz’s hot bat remained unaffected. In July, he produced one of the most remarkable monthly performances in recent memory, posting a .395/.480/.953 slash line with 11 homers and 27 RBIs in 23 games. After the All-Star break, over 59 games, his OPS rose to 1.107 with 19 home runs.

Kurtz emphasized that adapting to the major league pace was crucial to his growth: "Being a major leaguer means facing so many new challenges. You have to learn about yourself and the game through that process. We’re all great players — it’s just a matter of when you break through."

National League Rookie of the Year: Drake Baldwin (Braves)

When reporting to spring training in February, many believed this third-round pick in 2022 (from Missouri State University) would need more time in Triple-A. Nine months later, Baldwin was holding the National League Rookie of the Year trophy.

"This is unbelievable," Baldwin said. "Looking back at the start of the season, even a few weeks in, I never imagined being here."

"After so many ups and downs, ending the season with this award is really special... one of the coolest experiences of my life."

With starting catcher Sean Murphy sidelined due to a rib fracture, Baldwin, ranked as the Braves’ top farmhand and 62nd overall on MLB Pipeline, stepped up as the Opening Day starter. Though slow to start offensively, he exploded in May with a .389/.411/.593 slash line.

Through continuous adjustments, Baldwin steadily improved his hitting consistency, maintaining an OPS above .800 each month for the final three months. He finished the season with a .274/.341/.469 line, 19 home runs, and a 3.1 FWAR leading all National League rookies.

Baldwin became the Braves’ tenth Rookie of the Year winner and only the second catcher in franchise history to earn the honor since Earl Williams in 1971.

His 75.3 mph swing speed ranks in the top 9% of hitters, and Statcast data confirms his performance is no fluke: 19.5% whiff rate (top 20%), expected slugging .474 (top 19%), expected wOBA .354 (top 16%), strikeout rate 15.2% (top 16%), hard-hit rate 49.6% (top 15%), expected batting average .276 (top 14%), and average exit velocity 91.7 mph (top 14%).

Baldwin’s rookie year featured many highlights, including a six-RBI game against the Giants on July 21. However, his most memorable moment came on August 7 versus the Marlins, where he went 5-for-3 with two homers and a clutch game-tying hit, leading the team to a comeback win. Then-manager Brian Snitker praised his performance as comparable to the legendary Atlanta catcher.

"Brian McCann was the same way when he debuted," Snitker said. "His maturity on both sides of the ball exceeded his age, and Drake is following that path."

Defensively, Baldwin posted a +7 blocking runs value, ranking in the top 8% among catchers, with his receiving skills highly praised by pitchers Chris Sale and Spencer Strider.

"Defense is crucial," Baldwin stressed, "especially at catcher, where you have to manage pitchers, process scouting reports, and understand pitching-batting strategies."

"I couldn’t do this without the whole team. My locker is right next to Sean Murphy’s — from spring training until now, he’s been my biggest mentor."

From a fringe spring training player to a silver bat holder, this young man, who wasn’t expected to make the Opening Day roster, has already written a legendary rookie chapter.