MLB Rookie of the Year awards: Athletics' Nick Kurtz takes home AL honors, Braves' Drake Baldwin wins in NL

Major League Baseball kicked off its annual awards week festivities on Monday night by announcing the winners of the Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year award in each league. (The Manager of the Year awards will be handed out on Tuesday, the Cy Young awards on Wednesday, and the Most Valuable Players on Thursday.)

These awards are voted on by 30 members of the Baseball Writers Association of America (that's two per MLB city in each league). Votes were submitted before the beginning of the playoffs, meaning that only regular-season contributions are taken into account.

Here are MLB's 2025 Rookie of the Year award recipients.

Kurtz wins AL Rookie of the Year

Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz took home the honors in the American League, topping teammate and Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson and Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony. He is the 14th AL player to win the award unanimously and the second A's player, joining Mark McGwire (1987).

Kurtz is the first Athletics player to win Rookie of the Year since closer Andrew Bailey in 2009. He's the first position player to do it since shortstop Bobby Crosby in 2004. Overall, Kurtz is the ninth Athletics player to ever claim the award, though that accounting includes the franchise's time in Philadelphia and Oakland. 

A total of 15 AL rookies received votes. Kurtz was the only player to appear on all 30 ballots. Here are the top points-getters:

Kurtz, 22, hit .290/.383/.619 (173 OPS+) with 36 home runs and 86 runs batted in across 117 games. His contributions were worth an estimated 5.4 Wins Above Replacement, according to Baseball Reference's calculations. Kurtz led all qualifying rookies in home runs and slugging percentage.

Wilson, 23, hit .311/.355/.444 (121 OPS+) with 13 home runs and five stolen bases in 125 games. Kurtz and Wilson are the first teammates to finish 1-2 in the Rookie of the Year voting since Michael Harris II and Spencer Strider for the 2022 Braves. They're the first AL teammates to do it since Alvin Davis and Mark Langston for the 1984 Mariners.

Anthony, 21, batted .292/.396/.463 (140 OPS+) with eight home runs and four stolen bases in 71 games.

Despite not being called up until April 23, Kurtz will receive credit for a full year of service time for winning Rookie of the Year. That moves his free agency up from the 2031-32 offseason to the 2030-31 offseason.

Baldwin takes home NL honors

Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin prevailed in the National League, topping Milwaukee Brewers infielder Caleb Durbin and Chicago Cubs right-hander Cade Horton. 

Baldwin is the 10th Braves player to ever win Rookie of the Year, joining recent winners (and current Braves teammates) Michael Harris II and Ronald Acuña Jr. He is the first catcher to win the award since Buster Posey in 2010.

Baldwin received 21 of the 30 first place votes and was the only player to appear on all 30 ballots. Here are the top points-getters:

Baldwin, 24, batted .274/.341/.469 (126 OPS+) with 19 home runs and 80 runs batted in over the course of 124 games. His contributions were worth an estimated 3.3 Wins Above Replacement, according to Baseball Reference's calculations. He ranked second among qualifying NL rookies in home runs.

The Braves will receive a Prospect Promotion Incentive draft pick for Baldwin's Rookie of the Year win. Those are extra draft picks given to teams that do not manipulate the service time of players who meet certain prospect ranking and awards voting criteria. That draft pick will come after the first round in 2026.

Horton, 24, compiled a 2.67 ERA (144 ERA+) and a 2.94 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 118 innings across 23 appearances.  

Durbin, 25, hit .256/.334/.387 (101 OPS+) with 11 home runs and 18 stolen bases in 136 games.