By JAY COHEN
Athletics slugger Nick Kurtz was accompanied by an excellent buddy as he joined one unique membership on Monday night time.
Kurtz was a unanimous alternative for American League Rookie of the Yr, and Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin gained the Nationwide League award.
“It’s a great honor that I’m going to be put up with some of baseball’s greats who won the award,” Kurtz mentioned. “It puts some finishing touches on the year, look back on it and enjoy what I’ve done a little bit.”
The 22-year-old Kurtz is the 14th unanimous choice for the AL honor and the second from the A’s franchise, becoming a member of Mark McGwire in 1987. Ending proper behind Kurtz was A’s teammate Jacob Wilson, and Crimson Sox outfielder Roman Anthony was third.
It was the fifth time within the AL and ninth time general that teammates completed within the high two spots in Rookie of the Yr balloting. The final time it occurred within the AL was the Mariners’ Alvin Davis and Mark Langston in 1984.
“It’s awesome. He was actually in the same room with me 30 minutes ago or so,” Kurtz mentioned of Wilson.
“That’s something that we really wanted to do together. It shows the kind of teammates we are and how we strive to make each other better.”
The 22-year-old Kurtz batted .290 with 36 homers, 86 RBIs and a 1.002 OPS in 117 video games this yr. The primary baseman turned the eighth rookie since 1901 to complete with an OPS over 1.000 whereas making not less than 400 plate appearances.
Baldwin, 24, stepped up for Atlanta after No. 1 catcher Sean Murphy was sidelined by a cracked rib in spring coaching. Whereas Murphy was restricted by accidents for a lot of the yr, Baldwin hit .274 with 19 homers, 80 RBIs and an .810 OPS in 124 video games.
Baldwin’s win secured an additional choice for Atlanta after the primary spherical in subsequent yr’s newbie draft beneath the collective bargaining settlement’s prospect promotion incentive.
“I was just going into it with an open mind, kind of realizing how cool it is to even be a finalist for it,” Baldwin mentioned. “But I didn’t know how it was going to turn out. I know it’s tough to rank or try to judge who had a better year between a pitcher and a hitter or a catcher.”
Baldwin obtained 21 of 30 first-place votes. Cubs right-hander Cade Horton received the opposite 9 first-place votes and completed second, adopted by Brewers third baseman Caleb Durbin. The balloting was performed earlier than the postseason.
Baldwin mentioned Horton had a implausible yr.
“Either way, even if he would’ve won, I would have had all the respect in the world for him and I’d have understood why,” he mentioned.
Baldwin and Kurtz every get $750,000 from a pre-arbitration bonus pool, and runners-up Horton and Wilson every obtain $500,000.
The Supervisor of the Yr for every league can be introduced on Tuesday, adopted by the Cy Younger Award winners on Wednesday.
Kurtz, 22, starred at Wake Forest College earlier than he was chosen by the A’s with the No. 4 choose within the 2024 newbie draft. The 6-foot-5 slugger started this season within the minors, however he hit an RBI single in his first large league at-bat on April 23 towards Texas.
It was an indication of issues to come back.
He hit a solo drive off Dodgers reliever J.P. Feyereisen for his first large league homer on Might 13. He belted 4 extra homers in a span of 4 days that very same month, together with his first profession multihomer recreation on Might 21 towards the Angels.
He had his signature efficiency on July 25 at Houston, changing into the youngest participant in main league historical past and the primary rookie to hit 4 residence runs in a single recreation. He went 6 for six with eight RBIs whereas matching an MLB file with 19 complete bases.
Kurtz is the ninth winner for the A’s general, second within the AL behind the Yankees’ 10.
Baldwin was a third-round choose within the 2022 draft out of Missouri State College. He began on opening day for Atlanta and received his first main league hit on March 29 at San Diego.
Baldwin had considered one of his greatest days of the season on July 21, driving in six runs in a 9-5 victory over San Francisco. He went deep twice and completed with 5 RBIs in his first profession multihomer recreation on Aug. 7, an 8-6 win over Miami.
Baldwin is the seventh catcher to win the NL honor and the second from the Braves, becoming a member of Earl Williams in 1971. He’s the tenth winner from the Braves franchise general, second within the NL behind the Dodgers with a file 18.
Baldwin’s new supervisor, Walt Weiss, was the 1988 AL Rookie of the Yr with the A’s. Weiss had been the Braves’ bench coach since 2018.
“The last game of the year he told me good luck,” Baldwin mentioned. “Even being on the same list as him is pretty cool. Everyone respects him. He’s a great guy.”
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