10 MLB Players' Baseball Cards Fans Should Invest in for 20220 of 10 Show
 Joe Sargent/Getty Images It's not hard to figure out the pillars of the baseball card collecting community. Rising superstars like Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Juan Soto, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Ronald Acuna Jr. are the hottest names on the market, while Mike Trout continues to command a premium as he carves his path to all-time greatness. However, given how expensive their cards already are, those players don't necessarily make for good investments. Ahead, we've taken a closer look at 10 players who could be worth investing in ahead of the 2022 season, with room for their value to grow. Included is a breakdown of why each player has hobby upside, as well as a quick list of a few key cards worth targeting for each guy. Nick Allen, SS, Oakland Athletics1 of 10
Steph Chambers/Getty Images Defensive-minded players don't generally garner much hobby interest, but Nick Allen has shown enough offensive development to believe he could one day soon be the starting shortstop for the Oakland Athletics. The undersized 5'8" infielder hit .288/.346/.403 with 25 extra-base hits and 12 steals in 89 games in the upper levels of the minors last year, briefly stepping away from the Oakland organization to serve as the starting shortstop on Team USA in the Olympics. The 23-year-old has all the makings of an instant fan favorite once he arrives in the majors, and that could be early in the upcoming season. Key Cards Collectors will undoubtedly target Allen's 1st Bowman Chrome and first Bowman Chrome autograph cards first and foremost, but his 2018 Topps Pro Debut and 2020 Topps Update insert that features the 1989 Topps throwback design are logical secondary targets. Andrew Benintendi, OF, Kansas City Royals2 of 10
Icon Sportswire/Getty Images The Boston Red Sox traded Andrew Benintendi to the Kansas City Royals last offseason as a means of shedding some payroll, and the 2015 first-round pick hit .276/.324/.442 for a 104 OPS+ with 17 home runs and 73 RBI while also winning Gold Glove honors in left field. Those numbers don't exactly jump off the page, but what does is his .342/.398/.570 line with five home runs and 29 RBI in September. The 27-year-old is entering a contract year and playing for a Royals team on the rise that should generate plenty of buzz thanks to the impending arrival of uber-prospect Bobby Witt Jr. Don't sleep on a potential career year from Benintendi as he looks to secure a big free-agency payday. Key Cards A hobby darling at one point when he burst onto the scene with the Boston Red Sox, Benintendi is now largely forgotten in the eyes of collectors. His early cards are a great grab-and-hold, especially if he can parlay a strong season into a multiyear deal with a major market club. Connor Joe, OF, Colorado Rockies3 of 10
Dustin Bradford/Getty Images Way back in 2014, outfielder Connor Joe was a first-round pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates out of the University of San Diego, where he played alongside Kris Bryant. He was traded three times, selected in the Rule 5 draft once and had a forgettable 1-for-15 showing with the San Francisco Giants in 2019 before he finally landed on his feet with the Colorado Rockies after signing with them as a minor league free agent. The 29-year-old hit .285/.379/.469 with eight home runs and 35 RBI in 63 games last season, staking claim to a starting outfield spot in the process. He absolutely wore out fastballs (.366 BA, .614 SLG), which bodes well for his chances of continued success at Coors Field. Key Cards His 1st Bowman Chrome card and only true rookie card in the 2019 Topps Heritage set can both be had for pocket change, while his Bowman Chrome autograph is only selling for a few dollars. We've seen guys like David Dahl, Corey Dickerson and Brad Hawpe parlay regular playing time in Colorado into All-Star selections, and it's not out of the question to think Joe could do the same. Michael Lorenzen, RHP/OF, Los Angeles Angels4 of 10
Andy Lyons/Getty Images A two-way standout at Cal State Fullerton whom many teams preferred as an outfielder in the 2013 draft, Michael Lorenzen has an .827 OPS with three home runs in 29 career pinch-hit appearances and 96 innings of work in the outfield to go along with his bigger body of work on the mound. If there's a team that knows how to squeeze the most out of a two-way player, it's the Los Angeles Angels, and they signed him to a one-year, $6.75 million deal in free agency. "He can do a lot of things on a baseball field," Angels general manager Perry Minasian told reporters. "He can play the outfield. He can swing a bat. We have a really creative manager that's not afraid to experiment to a certain extent. I think that combination is good and the more flexibility you have on your roster, the better off you are." Key Cards Lorenzen is not going to be Shohei Ohtani, but the novelty of a two-way player could help carry him to hobby relevance. His 1st Bowman card is actually from his time with the 18U USA team and shows him hitting, which adds an interesting wrinkle to that card's potential appeal. His three true rookie cards and their various parallels are obvious buy-low targets. Luis Medina, RHP, New York Yankees5 of 10
Mark Brown/Getty Images Luis Medina has two things working in his favor: He plays for the New York Yankees, and he might be the hardest-throwing pitching prospect in baseball. "Medina's pure stuff is tremendous. His fastball lives in the upper 90s and peaked at 103 mph, and he paired it with a hard, downer curveball and an improving changeup. When it's on, his breaking ball is a true wipeout pitch that can generate plenty of swings and misses," wrote Baseball America. The 22-year-old is already on the 40-man roster, which means his debut could come as soon as 2022. His spotty command might mean his long-term home is in the bullpen, but if he debuts as a starter and puts together a few solid outings in pinstripes while lighting up the radar gun, his market is going to take off. Key Cards Medina's only Topps card thus far is part of the 2018 Topps Heritage Minors set, making that an outside-the-box card to target that could garner interest while collectors wait for his first Topps flagship card to hit the market. Darin Ruf, 1B/OF, San Francisco Giants6 of 10
Icon Sportswire/Getty Images With the universal DH almost certain to be part of the next collective bargaining agreement, slugger Darin Ruf could have a more regular role in the San Francisco Giants lineup next season. A former Philadelphia Phillies top prospect who has made a successful return stateside after an impressive three-year run in the KBO, Ruf posted a .904 OPS with 16 home runs and 43 RBI in 312 plate appearances last year. The 35-year-old crushed left-handed pitching (140 PA, 1.007 OPS, 9 HR, 21 RBI) but hit well enough against righties (172 PA, .824 OPS, 7 HR, 22 RBI) to view him as a viable everyday DH. With 600 plate appearances, he could easily make a run at a 30-homer, 100-RBI season. Key Cards Given his age, there's obviously not a ton of upside here. However, buying low on Ruf now could present an easy flip opportunity later in the season. That's especially true if the Giants are in the thick of the playoff race once again, as he's a key bat in the middle of their lineup. Lane Thomas, OF, Washington Nationals7 of 10
Michael Reaves/Getty Images Acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for Jon Lester during the Washington Nationals' fire sale last summer, outfielder Lane Thomas was one of the few bright spots not named Juan Soto in the shell of a lineup the Nats trotted out over the season's final two months. The 26-year-old hit .270/.364/.489 with 23 extra-base hits and 33 runs scored in 45 games serving as the team's primary leadoff hitter down the stretch, and all signs point to him hitting atop the lineup once again in 2022. No one is going to confuse him for Trea Turner anytime soon, but Thomas has shown an intriguing mix of power and speed throughout his time in the minors, and he has a lot of the same qualities that Cedric Mullins had shown prior to his 2021 breakout. Key Cards Thomas is young enough that he could be a key part of the Nationals' next contender. Investing in his cards won't be a quick flip, but buying at rock bottom now could pay off nicely in a few years if he continues his upward trajectory. Daulton Varsho, C/OF, Arizona Diamondbacks8 of 10
Norm Hall/Getty Images A Baseball America Top 100 prospect in 2020 (No. 53) and 2021 (No. 67), Daulton Varsho was one of the few bright spots for the Arizona Diamondbacks this past season as he posted a 102 OPS+ with 17 doubles, 11 home runs and 38 RBI in 95 games. The 25-year-old has a unique skill set with the ability to play catcher and all three outfield spots, and that should make it easy for him to find regular playing time, even with Carson Kelly also in the mix for playing time behind the plate. Varsho hit .290/.349/.530 with 10 home runs and 31 RBI in 60 games after the All-Star break, giving him some obvious momentum heading into the new season. Key Cards After his 37-game debut in 2020, Varsho had a staggering 38 different rookie cards scattered across 2021 products. You can't go wrong with Topps flagship if you're going the base-rookie route, but there are plenty of other options to fit every collector's taste. Carlos Beltran, OF, Hall of Fame Candidate9 of 10
Chris McGrath/Getty Images Players often see an uptick in their card prices after they are inducted into the Hall of Fame, but there is also sometimes an initial spike for fringe Hall of Famers when it becomes clear they are a legitimate candidate for enshrinement. It happened with Scott Rolen's rookie cards in 2020 when he jumped from 35.3 percent to 52.9 percent of the vote, and it could happen with Carlos Beltran's early cards if he has a strong initial showing as the top newcomer on the 2023 ballot. In 20 seasons, Beltran racked up 2,725 hits, 435 home runs, 1,587 RBI and 312 steals for an impressive 70.1 WAR. He also has one of the most impressive postseason track records of all time with a .307/.412/.609 line that includes 16 home runs and 42 RBI in 65 games. Key Cards The only rookie card for Beltran was featured in the 1995 Topps Traded set, and it's an error card. The card with Beltran's name on it is actually a photo of fellow Kansas City Royals prospect Juan LeBron, while the LeBron card has Beltran's picture. The card with Beltran's name and LeBron's picture sells for slightly more, but both are worth picking up. Scott Rolen, 3B, Hall of Fame Candidate10 of 10
Elsa/Getty Images The Hall of Fame bump is a real thing in the baseball card hobby. Just take a look at what's happening with David Ortiz's early cards on eBay. The writing is on the wall that Scott Rolen will one day join him in Cooperstown after his voting support has gone from 17.2 percent to 35.3 percent to 52.9 percent to 63.2 percent over the last four years. He has five years of eligibility remaining, and with a weak first-time class in 2023 and longtime holdovers Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling all falling off the ballot, there's a good chance he gets to 75 percent in 2023. With 70.1 WAR and a compelling two-way case that includes 316 home runs and 1,287 RBI at the plate and eight Gold Glove Awards in the field, Rolen has earned his place among the all-time greats. Key Cards Rolen's only rookie cards are in the 1995 Bowman and 1995 Bowman's Best sets, and those are obvious targets, but don't sleep on his first Topps flagship card. David Ortiz's first Topps card is not a true rookie, but it has seen a significant uptick over the last few weeks nonetheless. All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference. |
Stars of the mlb topps 2023
Copyright © 2024 en.ketajaman Inc.
