A's Draftee Nick Kurtz Lands on Top-100 Prospects List

Jason Burke | Jul 24, 2024

Jun 21, 2023; Omaha, NE, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons first baseman Nick Kurtz (8) gets an out during the first inning against the LSU Tigers at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports / Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

With the MLB Draft barely in the rearview, Baseball America has already dropped their latest top-100 prospect list, and there are a couple of interesting takeaways.

First off, Jacob Wilson, who went 1-for-1 in his MLB debut on Friday night against the Los Angeles Angels before suffering a hamstring injury, is now ranked No. 21. When he returns from injury he won't be ranked at all much longer.

We spoke with Wilson about his path to the big leagues and how he went approached his first full season in pro ball, as well as his first offseason. It was a great discussion, and you should check it out.

The bigger takeaway from BA's latest rankings is that A's first rounder, first baseman Nick Kurtz out of Wake Forest, is ranked No. 58. He just flew into Arizona on Tuesday, and hasn't played a game as a pro, so that ranking is solid. The A's are also happy to have him, given that he was the top prospect on their board from January all the way through draft day.

Yet, there are other guys from the 2024 class, like Florida first baseman Jac Caglianone (No. 45), and West Virginia shortstop JJ Wetherholt (No. 24) that were selected after Kurtz that are ranked higher. Both players have their own issues, with Caglianone having some swing and miss issues, and Wetherholt's hamstring injury, that led a few teams to pass them by.

The profile that Kurtz has, which is a power bat that has excellent control of the zone, is a very A's pick, and even gives "Moneyball" vibes.

This top-100 list is based off of rankings that already existed. Kurtz was viewed more as a back-half of the top ten draft prospect by a number of evaluators in the industry, so having him ranked lower than a few guys in his class--despite going fourth--make sense.

The question now is whether the A's scouting department was correct in their assessment of Kurtz. After watching him take batting practice on Monday at the Coliseum, it's worth noting that the ball leaves his bat in a hurry. It just looked different than the other guys (current A's players) in his hitting group.

The MLB Draft is a bit of a crapshoot, but there is plenty to like about Kurt's profile, no matter where he ranks in the top-100. The real test will be when he begins playing ball in the coming weeks.