The 2021 baseball season brought with it a new crop of intriguing rookie cards and veterans continuing to produce at a high level. The baseball card market exploded in popularity in recent years, attracting legions of new collectors. With an exciting year of play ahead, let’s examine some of the top cards to watch for from the 2021 season.
Perhaps the highest profile rookie cards this season belong to Rays shortstop Wander Franco. Considered a true five-tool player and top prospect in all of baseball, Franco’s cards captured the attention of collectors before he even played a game in the majors. In his short debut campaign, Franco put many of his skills on display by hitting .288 with seven home runs and 39 RBI in 70 games. He is expected to be the future face of the Rays franchise. Franco’s prized rookie cards from Topps, Bowman, and Topps Chrome could gain immense value with a full stellar 2022 season.
Another much-hyped rookie is Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Blue Jays. After an impressive 2019 debut, Guerrero took his game to another level in 2021 by bashing 48 home runs, driving in 123 runs, and batting .296. As the son of a Hall of Famer, Guerrero’s Topps rookie cards from 2019 never seemed to reach the heights that his talent portended. But after putting together an All-Star caliber campaign, Guerrero’s rookie cards from several major manufacturers could start to make deeper impacts in the market.
On the pitching side, Red Sox lefty Chris Sale returned in 2021 after missing two seasons recovering from Tommy John surgery. Still among the game’s elite when healthy, Sale’s first cards back on the mound for Boston could become highly coveted reminders of his dominance if he has another standout year in 2022. Miami’s Trevor Rogers, Washington’s Josiah Gray, and San Diego’s MacKenzie Gore also rose atop prospect lists and made their MLB debuts. Their high-end rookie cards could appreciate given strong sophomore efforts.
Established veterans like Mike Trout, Mookie Betts, Bryce Harper and Shohei Ohtani continue producing jaw-dropping numbers and highlights that attract collector dollars. Trout seems destined to overtake the Babe as the greatest hitter in history, and each of his amazing seasons further cements the high value of his prized memorabilia, especially his flagship Topps and Bowman Chrome rookie cards from 2009 and 2012. Harper re-signed a blockbuster 13-year deal to remain in Philly and continues to be one of the most exciting players in the game. Betts just capped off back-to-back championship seasons in Boston and LA while establishing himself as a modern great. Meanwhile, Ohtani’s two-way feats in 2021 made history and had baseball card buyers flocking to commemorate his excellence.
Some legends of the game who remained active in 2021 and could also see strong interest for their vintage pieces include Albert Pujols of the Dodgers and Cardinals, who belted his 700th career home run this season, and Ryan Zimmerman of the Nationals, who retired after 16 seasons completely spent in DC. Collectors seek to honor these all-time great careers through acquisition of renowned rookie cards and noteworthy serial-numbered relic and autograph additions from recent years.
While the stars will always drive the hobby, sharp collectors also look for opportunities among rising middle-tier players who could break out. Two prime examples from 2021 were Cincinnati’s Jonathan India and Milwaukee’s Corbin Burnes. India prevailed as National League Rookie of the Year after a stellar debut campaign highlighted by 34 extra-base hits and 10 stolen bases. Burnes cemented his status as one of MLB’s premier arms by leading the National League in ERA (2.43) and WHIP (0.94) en route to winning the Cy Young Award. Upper-tier India and Burnes rookies from Topps, Panini, and Bowman could gain steady demand into the future.
On the team front, Atlanta emerged as a modern dynasty by winning its first World Series title since 1995 behind the superb play of Ronald Acuña Jr., Freddie Freeman, Ozzie Albies and company. The championship run has increased collecting interest in unique Braves parallels, autographs, and star rookies from recent years. Plus, the debut of new franchises like the Tampa Bay Rays has created demand for scarce early cards documenting their arrival. Such franchise-specific pieces allow collectors to enjoy memorable seasons through special team-centric memorabilia.
Long story short, the 2021 baseball season thrilled collectors with new rookie phenoms, vintage legends maintaining excellence, breakout stars arriving and championship cores cementing legacies. With another action-packed campaign on tap in 2022, dedicated baseball card traders and investors will certainly have plenty of prestigious modern and classic memorabilia to pursue adding to their collections for years to come. The industry’s non-stop growth signals no slowdown any time soon.
