Who doesn’t love a big left-handed first baseman who hits for power, walks more than he strikes out, and has a glove of the golden variety? If you say you don’t, then you don’t love Wake Forest’s first sacker, Nick Kurtz. Since joining the Demon Deacons, he has been showered with accolades. Following his 2022 freshman season, he was named D1 Baseball First Team Freshman All-American and was a part of the All-Freshman team. Not to be outdone in his sophomore season, he was named an ABCA First Team All-American, a Golden Spikes Award Semifinalist, and First Team All-ACC just to name a few. The list of accolades is so long that we’d need a Google sheet to keep them in order.
Nick Kurtz 2024 Draft Profile
Strengths
Kurtz is 6-5, 235, and hits just like his size indicates he should. He is, to put it lightly, a beast at the plate. During his 2022 freshman season, he hit .338/.471/.637 with 15 home runs and an OPS of 1.108. Skipping the sophomore slump, he hit .353/.527/.784 with 24 home runs and an OPS of 1.311. He sprays the ball to all fields and has patience at the plate. His good eye translates to more walks than strikeouts, which is evident by looking at his slash lines. He is arguably the best hitter in the 2024 draft class.
Guess what? It’s not just his bat that’s good, so is his defense. In 54 games in his freshman season, he had four errors, and in his sophomore season, he improved upon that number, committing just one error in 55 games. His all-around athleticism leads some scouts to think that he could even play in the outfield at the professional level.
Weaknesses
So what is Kurtz kryptonite? Where is the hole in his game? Well, this is a tough one, because there really isn’t a “hole” per se. So, instead, let’s just discuss what he’s not the best at. So hitting? He’s the best. Defense at first? He’s the best. Speed on the base paths? Now we’re talking. He’s not the fastest on the field. Will he steal you a bag or two? Sure. Are the announcers going to be screaming at him to unhitch the trailer when he trying to score from first on a gapper? No, they’re not, he’ll be able to bring it home with ease. But will he be leading the league, or even in the top 50 in stolen bases? No, he will not. So, there’s strike one. He’s not the fastest on the field.
Is there anything else that’s going to make it even remotely possible that Kurtz doesn’t go in the first round to, say, the Pittsburgh Pirates who would love a left-handed power hitter at first? Oh, yeah, his arm is not the best on the field. But, that being said, it’s not even close to the worst, so, weakness, once again is a bit of a stretch.
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MLB Comparison
How do you feel about Paul Goldschmidt? Sure you might hate him if you’re a Chicago Cubs fan, but you can’t deny the power and the glove.
Another question. How do you feel about Freddie Freeman? San Francisco Giants fans aren’t cheering him on, that’s for sure, but the guy hits for average and can beat you with the long ball.
Last question. How do you feel about Pauddie Goldman? You don’t feel anything about him because Pauddie Goldman is a portmanteau for Nick Kurtz. Because there isn’t one MLB comp for Kurtz. He’s so good that he’s a combination of two MVPs.
Just draft him. You won’t be sorry.
Photo Credit: © Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports
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