2024 MLB Draft Profile: Nick Kurtz
Draft Profile: Nick Kurtz (Wake Forest)
Height: 6'5
Weight: 235
Bats/Throws: Left/Left
Nick Kurtz, who came off a great year at Wake Forest in 2023, has carried the program as they have bounced back following their slow start in 2024. It is hard to currently find a hotter hitter in college baseball than Kurtz — who is above the 97th percentile in average exit velocity and hard-hit rate!
Kurtz’s power stroke is immediate upon watching him play. He pummels fastballs when given the chance — a 58% hard-hit rate in 2024 with a max EV of 114 MPH — along with a 30% barrel rate. Contact is also frequent, and he displays a 92% in-zone contact rate.
Since 2023, he has also shown the ability to handle higher velocity levels, with a SLG% over 1.000 and a .510 xwOBA based on his balls in play. He barreled over 40% of balls he put in play that were ≥ 94 MPH.
Kurtz has 80-grade raw power to the pull side, but he has the power to hit to all fields.
He also can punish most break that is pitched to him. His damage output is too high against just about anything to be ignored.
While he does not hit for average against LHP — the reality is he can do damage to just about anything, and has an impressive level of plate discipline. He generally makes good swing decisions and has a good feel for the zone and when to attack, and has outstanding bat-to-ball skills to back that up, and it shows.
Defensively, Kurtz’s value dips. Not a result of his performance (plus defender this year according to 643) but due to his limited positional variability as a first baseman — though I believe he can be an above-average defender at the position.
Overall, Kurtz’s offensive upside is palpable. Along with Charlie Condon, he shows some of the more impressive production + contact quality combinations. He has an evident hit tool, and potentially 80 grade raw power (definitely to the pull side). He has some of if not the best power potential in this class and has the makings of someone who should be a heart-of-the-order hitter who can hit 30+ home runs annually at the next level with his contact quality and swing decisions.
