MLB Draft Notebook: Nick Kurtz returns with a vengeance

Wake Forest first baseman returns from injury, immediately starts on a tear.

There wasn’t a clear-cut number-one overall choice heading into the draft year for the 2024 class, but Nick Kurtz was among the early favorites.

Despite not fitting the mold of a typical 1.1 selection regarding positional value, Kurtz's exceptional batting prowess has consistently set him apart.

Most draft outlets had a plus power tool attached to Kurtz and the hit, and the defense graded out well. In a draft that didn’t have many sure things when it comes to premium position players at the top, it allowed Kurtz to stand out even more.

Kurtz and most of Wake Forest didn’t get off to the best starts outside of the games that Chase Burns started.

They gave Kurtz very little to hit early on, which helped drive his walks up, but he also didn’t impact the ball like you would have liked to see from a potential 1.1 pick.

Then, an injury occurred during the Wake Forest series against UVA, forcing him to miss a week and a half.

Since returning, Kurtz has been on fire, showing the all-around hitting potential that made him such a common name at the top of the draft.

In nine games since returning, Kurtz has gone 15-for-36 with two doubles and 10 home runs, drawing 11 walks to just seven strikeouts.

In his first game back, he drew four walks against Liberty. This past Sunday, he hit three home runs in one game against Virginia Tech. That weekend, Kurtz went 7-for-11 with five home runs and a double.

There was little doubting just how good Kurtz was, even during the struggles, but with the emergence of other prospects, it wouldn’t have been a shock to see him drop come July.

Now that he’s back and hitting, it shouldn’t take too long to force his way back into the 1.1 picture—if he even left it in the first place.

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Next week, I will take my first stab at a mock draft for the top 10. It’s been a tough draft to predict, but I’m going to take a stab at it

The Pirates have the ninth overall pick; based on the number of players who have taken a step forward, there’s a good chance someone who was ranked high at the beginning of the season could fall to them.