Nick Kurtz and Jacob Wilson: The Cornerstones of the Vegas Era

Every franchise-defining era has its cornerstones. For the Las Vegas Athletics, those pillars already have names: Nick Kurtz and Jacob Wilson.

In 2025, Kurtz blasted 36 home runs in just 117 games — including four in a single game against the Astros — and won the AL Rookie of the Year award. He was one of only three players with 400+ plate appearances to post an OPS above 1.000, joining Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani.

Wilson, meanwhile, batted .311 with a .355 OBP, made the All-Star team, and finished second in the AL Rookie of the Year voting — behind his own teammate.

With reigning AL Rookie of the Year Nick Kurtz, Jacob Wilson, and other young position players ready to take the next step, there are genuinely exciting things happening with the A's.

Both players are under team control through the 2028 Vegas debut and beyond — exactly the kind of continuity a relocating franchise needs to build a loyal new fanbase. When the gates open on the Strip in 2028, Kurtz and Wilson will be the faces fans rally around.

Las Vegas is getting a real baseball team. And these two are why.