OAKLAND — As Nick Kurtz prepared to take his first swings at the Oakland Coliseum, outfielder Lawrence Butler offered a suggestion to the awaiting media contingent standing on the third-base warning track.
“Make sure you have your phones ready,” Butler said.
Indeed, Kurtz’s inaugural round of batting practice was worth documenting. His first swing generated an explosive line drive to right-center field, loudly reverberating throughout the 57-year-old concrete cathedral. His second swing, a towering blast, reached the second deck.
Kurtz, the fourth overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft out of Wake Forest who officially signed with the team on Monday, likely won’t ever play a game at the Coliseum. But regardless of whether the A’s are in Sacramento or Las Vegas, if and when Kurtz makes it to the majors, he’ll always have Monday afternoon on Rickey Henderson Field.
“I don’t know if there’s a word to really describe it,” Kurtz said. “This is awesome. This is what you dream of as a kid. This is why you put in all those hours — for this kind of moment. I’m so excited to be here. It’s been so much fun.”
Nick Kurtz’s first swings in Oakland pic.twitter.com/hBNUEKucxT
— Justice delos Santos (@justdelossantos) July 22, 2024
Kurtz, 21, signed for $7 million, according to MLB.com’s Jim Callis, well below the fourth overall pick’s slot value of $8,370,800. He is Oakland’s highest pick since they selected Mark Mulder with the No. 2 pick in 1998 and the highest-drafted first baseman since the White Sox drafted Cal product Andrew Vaughn in 2019.
With the green and gold headed to Sacramento next season, Kurtz headlines the Oakland A’s final draft class. That thought has crossed Kurtz’s mind, he said, but added that he’s going to “take it day by day and take in every moment I can.”
“Today, we’re going to be here, and that’s all I can really think about,” Kurtz said.
In three seasons at Wake Forest, the 6-foot-5, 240-pound first baseman had a career .333/.510/.725 slash line, clubbing 61 home runs and totaling 182 RBIs over 164 games. An incredibly patient hitter, Kurtz set the program records for single-season walks (78) and career walks (189).
With a combination of patience, power, and above-average defense, Oakland’s scouting director Eric Kubota had no problem comparing Kurtz to former A’s first baseman Matt Olson on draft day.
“I’m really impressed,” said manager Mark Kotsay, who was the ninth overall pick in the 1996 MLB Draft. “Big, physical kid — bigger than how he shows up on film. Really awesome personality and spirit, yet you can tell the competitor is there. Those are all good signs.”
Before taking batting practice, Kurtz had an opportunity to chat with shortstop Jacob Wilson, Oakland’s first selection in last year’s draft (sixth overall).
Wilson spent just a little over a year in pro ball before making his major-league debut last Friday — a debut that was cut short due to a left hamstring strain — and Kurtz expressed excitement about the possibility of rapidly ascending through Oakland’s farm system, too.
“It’s awesome to be able to see that if I put in the work and I perform the way I’m supposed to and the way I think I will,” Kurtz said, “there’s a good chance that I could be up here fast.”
Kurtz, who hasn’t played in a game since June 1, will report to the team’s rookie-level Arizona Complex League affiliate on Tuesday, but did not know which minor-league affiliate he would join. Last year, Wilson played three games for Oakland’s Arizona Complex league team before joining High-A Midland.
“I’m excited to get going,” Kurtz said. “I haven’t played in a while. I get bored easily. I was just sitting around for a while, just waiting (to sign) and it finally came. Now, I have to wait another week. I’m excited that the time’s finally here. Get to Arizona tomorrow and start working.”
When asked if he has existing relationships with anyone in the organization, Kurtz mentioned Mike McFerran and Davis Diaz. McFerren is a pitching performance coach with the A’s who previously coached at Wake Forest. Diaz, who Kurtz has known since he was 12, was Oakland’s eighth-round selection.
