Nick Kurtz's Arrival Bolsters First Base Prospects in Fantasy Baseball
Nick Kurtz's quick ascent through the minor leagues adds a promising option to the competitive first base landscape for fantasy team owners.
It took Wyatt Langford 44 minor-league games to prove he belongs in the majors. It’s taken Nick Kurtz only 32.
So whatever enthusiasm we had for the fourth pick in the 2023 draft when we first learned he’d get the call last year, we should also have for the fourth pick in the 2024 draft now that he’s reportedly on the way up.
After all, Kurtz steamrolled the minors just as thoroughly, slashing .336/.432/.689 with 11 home runs across those 32 games. In his 20 games at Triple-A Las Vegas this year, he slashed .321/.385/.655 with seven home runs. With the sample being so small, we should probably take whatever data we can get.
Kurtz’s Performance Metrics
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| AVG | .321 |
| HR | 7 |
| OPS | 1.040 |
| AB | 84 |
| BB | 10 |
| K | 26 |
Nick Kurtz’s Performance
Manager’s Statement
“The beauty of the process will be that we’re adding a bat that can have an impact in the lineup,” manager Mark Kotsay recently said. “How we do that is continually being discussed.”
If you’re looking for a comparable player, Matt Olson seems like a good reference point, particularly because Kurtz is a 6-foot-5 left-handed-hitting first baseman. His potential warrants a roster spot, especially given the current first base situation in the league.
