Athletics top 2024 pick Kurtz among team’s non-roster invitees originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Athletics’ first-round pick from the 2024 MLB Draft is developing as the franchise hoped.
First baseman Nick Kurtz, whom the Athletics selected No. 4 overall out of Wake Forest on July 14, was one of 20 players who earned a non-roster invite to spring training for the upcoming campaign, the team announced Tuesday.
The opportunity is deserved.
Kurtz, the Athletics’ No. 2 prospect behind shortstop Jacob Wilson and No. 45 in all of MLB, wasted no time acclimating to pro ball, slashing .400/.571/.960 with four home runs, two doubles and 12 RBI over seven games with Single-A Stockton. The 21-year-old then was promoted to Double-A Midland and continued his ascent, slashing .308/.400/.385 with four hits over a quick five games. Kurtz surely will have a shot at debuting in the majors in 2025.
Three other Athletics first-round picks were invited with Kurtz to the team’s spring training: catcher Daniel Susac (2022), infielder Max Muncy (2021) and infielder Logan Davidson (2019).
Muncy, the Athletics’ No. 8 prospect, was the highest-ranked first-rounder to earn a non-roster invite after Kurtz; however, the two weren’t the only top prospects invited, as outfielder Henry Bolte (No. 5), right-handed pitcher Mason Barnett (No. 6) and outfielder Colby Thomas (No. 7) made the cut.
Four farm-system pitchers rounded out the list of internal invites: left-handed pitcher Domingo Robles and right-handed pitchers Chen Zhuang, Jack Perkins and Pedro Santos.
Among the other nine non-roster invitees to Athletics spring training, five have big-league experience: infielder Alejo Lopez (Cincinnati Reds, 2021-23), left-handed pitchers C.D. Pelham (Texas Rangers, 2018) and Matt Krook (New York Yankees, 2023; Baltimore Orioles, 2024) and right-handed pitchers Ben Bowden (Colorado Rockies, 2021) and Jason Alexander (Milwaukee Brewers, 2022).
The final four non-roster invitees are catcher Willie MacIver, outfielders Carlos Cortes and Drew Avans and right-handed pitcher Tanner Dodson.
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