The 2007 Topps Baseball Card set featured several promising rookie cards that baseball card collectors were excited about. The rookie class of 2007 included future All-Stars and award winners like Ryan Braun, Dustin Pedroia, and Prince Fielder who would go on to have very successful Major League careers. Let’s take a closer look at some of the top rookies from the 2007 Topps Baseball set.
Ryan Braun (#185) – Braun had a phenomenal rookie season in 2007 batting .324 with 34 home runs and 97 RBI for the Milwaukee Brewers. He finished third in National League Rookie of the Year voting and helped spark a revival of Brewers baseball in Milwaukee. His rookie card remained a hot commodity among collectors for years. Braun went on to have six All-Star selections and win the 2011 NL MVP award cementing himself as one of the game’s top left fielders of his generation.
Dustin Pedroia (#223) – Already 25 years old as a rookie, Pedroia didn’t have the hype of some younger prospects but produced right away for the Boston Red Sox. He batted .317 in his first season and led the American League with 213 hits, winning Rookie of the Year honors. Pedroia would become the anchor of the Red Sox lineup and infield for over a decade, earning four All-Star nods and helping the team to World Series titles in 2007 and 2013. His leadership made him a fan favorite in Boston.
Prince Fielder (#360) – The son of former MLB slugger Cecil Fielder, Prince lived up to the family name by hitting .288 with 23 home runs in his rookie year with the Brewers. He finished second in Rookie of the Year voting to Pedroia. Fielder was one of the game’s most feared run producers during his nine-year MLB career, making two All-Star teams as a Brewer before finishing with the Detroit Tigers. He remains one of the most powerful hitters of his era with 319 career home runs.
Tim Lincecum (#387) – Already dominating in his first full season in the Giants’ rotation, Lincecum tossed 220 innings with a 3.00 ERA and notched 174 strikeouts to finish fourth in Cy Young Award voting as a rookie. ‘The Freak’ as he became known used an unorthodox delivery to baffle hitters for years with his blazing fastball. He would go on to win back-to-back Cy Young Awards in 2008-2009 establishing himself as one of the best pitchers of his generation.
Max Scherzer (#454) – More of a project as a young pitcher in the Arizona Diamondbacks system, Scherzer showed glimpses of promise in 12 starts as a rookie posting a 4-6 record but with 88 strikeouts in 82.2 innings. He flashed a mid-90s fastball and hard slider. After being traded to the Tigers, Scherzer evolved into an ace, earning three All-Star selections and winning the AL Cy Young award in 2013. He later pitched for the Nationals, winning another Cy Young and two World Series titles there.
Colby Rasmus (#504) – Selected with the 28th overall pick in the 2005 draft by St. Louis, Rasmus entered the majors at age 21 and batted .251 with 13 home runs in his rookie year playing both center field and first base. He twice led the National League in triples during his career spent mostly with the Blue Jays and Astros. Rashus displayed good athleticism and power but never fully lived up to his first-round draft status across nine seasons in MLB.
Andrew McCutchen (#512) – While he didn’t post huge numbers as a 21-year old rookie in 2007 with a .250 batting average, McCutchen flashed the five-tool skills that would make him a superstar. He swiped 14 bases that first season foreshadowing the type of impact player he would develop into for the Pirates. McCutchen earned five All-Star selections and an NL MVP award in 2013 before finishing his career with the Giants and Yankees, cementing his status as one of the best Pirates players of the modern era.
Justin Upton (#548) – Like Rasmus, Upton was a first-round draft pick in 2005 and made his MLB debut as a 19-year old with the Diamondbacks. He showed off incredible strength and speed for a teenager by belting 11 homers with 21 steals in his rookie campaign. Upton developed into a premier power-speed threat, making four All-Star teams over 12 seasons with five different franchises. He continued his career well into his 30s demonstrating longevity and durability.
The 2007 Topps Baseball Card rookie class featured many future All-Stars, MVP award winners, and even a few Cy Young recipients. Players like Braun, Pedroia, Fielder, Lincecum, and McCutchen established themselves as franchise cornerstones with the teams that originally drafted them. Meanwhile, Upton, Scherzer and Rasmus showed varying levels of fulfillment on their potential but all enjoyed lengthy MLB tenures. For collectors, several of these 2007 rookie cards proved to be wise long-term investments and remain highly sought after in the hobby. It was truly an excellent class of rookies that helped propel the sport forward.
