All-MLB Team: Young Guns Rising for the A’s

     When a franchise gets tagged with “rebuilding” or “future focus,” skepticism often runs high, but in 2025, the Athletics are getting a loud and undeniable vote of confidence as five of their players landed on the All-MLB ballot. That’s a signal not just of individual excellence, but of a rising core that may force skeptics to take another look.

MLB officially released the 2025 All-MLB Team nominees on September 29, and among the 46 players up for honors, the Athletics made a bold statement by placing five names on the list. Those five are Nick Kurtz at first base, Shea Langeliers at catcher, Brent Rooker at designated hitter, Tyler Soderstrom in the outfield, and Jacob Wilson at shortstop. For a franchise that relocated to Sacramento earlier this year and spent much of the season defining its new identity, that kind of representation speaks volumes. It’s proof that the move didn’t stall the team’s development; it accelerated it.

For context, the All-MLB Team is a relatively new award introduced in 2019, created to honor the best players across both leagues, regardless of whether their teams made the postseason. Modeled after the NFL’s All-Pro format, it consists of a First Team and Second Team, with one player recognized at each position along with five starting pitchers and two relievers per team. Votes are split evenly between fans and a panel of baseball experts, meaning a blend of popularity and merit decides the final roster. Fans can cast their votes through October 10, with the winners announced during MLB’s award week on November 13.

Now, back to the green-and-gold five who put Sacramento’s new franchise on the national radar.

Nick Kurtz is the headliner, a rookie whose debut season was nothing short of explosive. He belted 36 home runs, drove in 86 runs, and posted an OPS near the top of the league. Scouts raved about his plate discipline and advanced approach, rare for a first-year player. That performance makes him not just a Rookie of the Year candidate, but a legitimate All-MLB contender, which for a first baseman is elite company.

Shea Langeliers proved he’s more than just a defensive backstop. The 27-year-old catcher turned in his best offensive season yet, hitting .277 with 31 home runs and 72 RBIs, all while maintaining strong defensive metrics. His framing, arm, and leadership earned respect in the clubhouse, while his bat earned national attention. In a league where catching depth can be thin, Langeliers’s two-way balance makes him indispensable.

Brent Rooker, the reliable slugger, kept his foot on the gas for all 162 games. He once again reached the 30-homer plateau, driving in runs and providing veteran stability to a lineup filled with emerging stars. As the A’s longest-tenured power bat, Rooker’s nomination feels like a quiet acknowledgment of consistency amid transition, the guy who never stopped showing up.

Tyler Soderstrom, once a top catching prospect, has found his groove as an outfielder and part-time first baseman. He posted a .276 average, 25 home runs, and 93 RBIs, leading the team in runs driven in. His willingness to move positions for the good of the team, and still thrive offensively, highlights his maturity and adaptability. For a player just 23 years old, it’s a performance that turned skeptics into believers.

Jacob Wilson, the rookie shortstop, rounds out the group with one of the most efficient seasons of any young infielder. Despite missing time with a forearm fracture, he hit .311 with 13 home runs and 63 RBIs, while playing steady, dependable defense. His contact-first approach and sure-handed glove recall old-school fundamentals, a contrast to the league’s strikeout-heavy trends. It’s no exaggeration to say he looks like the A’s shortstop of the next decade.

That five A’s players even cracked the ballot is significant. They’re the only team outside of the postseason picture with that many nominees, a testament to how individual excellence can thrive even as a franchise finds its footing in a new city. It also suggests the A’s scouting and player development pipeline is working exactly as designed, with young, controllable talent maturing simultaneously.

The All-MLB Team might not carry the same legacy weight as the MVP or Cy Young, but in just a few short years, it’s become a barometer of legitimacy, a recognition that a player belongs among baseball’s elite even if his team isn’t there yet. And for Sacramento’s Athletics, that legitimacy couldn’t come at a better time. The team’s relocation brought skepticism, but these nominations bring something stronger: respect.

No matter how the final vote shakes out, the A’s now have five names that fans across the league are talking about, and for the first time in years, the future of the franchise looks not just promising but powerful. As the All-MLB Team announcement approaches in November, Sacramento can already claim a small victory: the rest of the league is finally paying attention again.

Click here to cast your vote before October 10th: https://www.mlb.com/all-mlb/ballot