Wake Forest first baseman Nick Kurtz has been making headlines in the world of college baseball with his incredible power surge. After suffering a shoulder injury earlier this season, Kurtz’s performance took a hit, and his chances of being the top pick in the 2024 MLB Draft seemed to be in jeopardy. However, he quickly turned things around and reminded everyone why he was considered a top prospect.
Kurtz’s struggles began on March 15 when he went 0-for-1 in a game against Virginia, dropping his batting average to .241. The Demon Deacons were also struggling as a team, sitting at 1-3 in the ACC despite being preseason favorites for the national title. Things didn’t improve much when Kurtz returned after missing six games, as he went 0-for-5 in a game against North Carolina and his average dipped to .217.
However, Kurtz’s fortunes changed dramatically starting with a 2-for-5 performance against UNC on March 30. Since then, he has been on fire, going 16-for-28 with 10 home runs and 21 RBIs over the last seven games. His batting average has skyrocketed to .318, an increase of over 100 percentage points. Kurtz’s power surge reached its peak this past weekend against Virginia Tech, where he hit seven home runs in three games, including three in one game on Sunday. He continued his impressive display on Tuesday against Coastal Carolina, hitting two more home runs and at one point hitting six home runs in seven at-bats, all against ranked opponents. So far this season, Kurtz has hit 13 home runs in 26 games.
Kurtz’s incredible performance has coincided with Wake Forest’s midseason turnaround. The Demon Deacons swept Virginia Tech on the road and defeated Coastal Carolina, propelling them to a 7-8 record in the ACC. With a series against Boston College coming up, Wake has an opportunity to go above .500 in league play for the first time this season.
Despite his recent success, Kurtz is ranked sixth on Keith Law’s most recent ranking of the top-30 MLB Draft prospects. Law acknowledges Kurtz’s ability to draw walks and hit for power but notes that most of his home runs have come at Wake Forest’s homer-friendly ballpark. Additionally, Kurtz’s position at first base limits his potential, and he will need to prove himself against better competition.
As Kurtz continues to impress with his power hitting, scouts and evaluators will be keeping a close eye on him leading up to the 2024 MLB Draft. Whether he can maintain this level of performance and showcase his skills against tougher opponents remains to be seen. For now, though, Kurtz has put himself back in the conversation as one of the top prospects in college baseball.