Buster Olney Ranks Nick Kurtz in Top 10 MLB First Basemen for 2025

Oakland Athletics prospect Nick Kurtz secures the final spot in Buster Olney's prestigious top-10 first base rankings following a historic professional debut.

Buster Olney has positioned Nick Kurtz as the number 10 first baseman in Major League Baseball for the 2025 season. This ranking follows a professional debut where the Oakland Athletics' fourth overall pick from the 2024 draft posted a 1.255 OPS across 12 games. Kurtz recorded four home runs and 12 RBIs during his initial 37 at-bats in the minor leagues, demonstrating a slugging percentage of .811. His inclusion in this top-10 list marks a rare instance of a player reaching such a status before logging a single inning of service time at the Triple-A or Major League level.

The scouting data supporting this placement highlights a 6-foot-5, 240-pound frame that generated a 50% extra-base hit rate during his brief stint with the Stockton Ports. Kurtz drew 11 walks against only 10 strikeouts, establishing a .480 on-base percentage that validates his advanced plate discipline. Olney’s evaluation emphasizes that the former Wake Forest standout possesses a left-handed swing capable of hitting 30 home runs annually. The Athletics assigned him a $9.15 million signing bonus, reflecting the organization's belief in his immediate offensive viability.

Defensively, the metrics from his collegiate career at Wake Forest indicate a .991 fielding percentage, a statistic that suggests he will provide stability at the bag for an Oakland infield in transition. During his final season in the ACC, he maintained a .306 batting average while leading the nation with 78 walks in 54 games. These numbers contributed to a career collegiate OPS of 1.235, providing a statistical foundation for his rapid ascent in national prospect evaluations. Olney notes that Kurtz’s exit velocity frequently exceeded 110 miles per hour during his introductory professional appearances.

The 2025 rankings place Kurtz behind established veterans like Bryce Harper and Freddie Freeman, yet his trajectory suggests a shorter developmental curve than traditional prospects. He is currently the only player on the list who has not participated in a Spring Training camp with a big-league roster. The Athletics' decision to promote him to Double-A Midland after just seven games in Low-A underscores the aggressive timeline the franchise has adopted for his arrival in the Coliseum. His performance in the Arizona Fall League further solidified his standing, as he continued to display a pull-side power profile that scouts grade as a 70 on the 20-80 scale.

Analytical projections for the upcoming season suggest Kurtz could debut in the majors by June, provided he maintains a walk rate above 15% in the upper minors. His swing mechanics feature a short path to the ball with high-end loft, resulting in a fly-ball rate that aligns with modern power-hitting trends. By securing the tenth spot, he edges out several tenured starters who have multiple All-Star appearances, signaling a shift toward valuing high-ceiling youth in positional hierarchies. This specific ranking reflects a consensus among talent evaluators that Kurtz is the most polished offensive infielder to enter the professional system in the last three draft cycles.