Kory DeHaan was a hard-throwing right-handed relief pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1995 to 2003. While his baseball career was relatively short, spanning just 221 games over 9 seasons with 6 different teams, DeHaan made a name for himself in the hobby of baseball card collecting due to a noteworthy short print card error from 1997.
DeHaan was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 5th round of the 1992 MLB June Amateur Draft out of Mesa High School in Mesa, Arizona. He made his MLB debut with the Reds in 1995 but was traded to the San Diego Padres in 1998. It was with the Padres in 1997 that the error occurred which started DeHaan’s rise in the world of memorabilia collecting.
In 1997, Upper Deck produced their series two baseball card set. For Padres players, the photo negatives that were used ended up being from Spring Training in 1996 instead of 1997. This resulted in Kory DeHaan’s card showing him wearing Padres uniform number 49, which he did not wear in 1997 as he had switched to number 32. Only a small number of these cards with the incorrect uniform number were printed before the error was caught. Immediately, collectors started seeking out the rare variation to add to their collections.
The scarcity and obvious error made DeHaan’s 1997 Upper Deck series two card with the #49 become quite valuable in the hobby. In near mint condition, uncorrected versions of this card today sell for hundreds of dollars on the secondary market. It remains one of the most famous error cards in baseball card history due to the visual discrepancy catching collectors’ eyes. While DeHaan had a fine but not overwhelming career on the mound, this single card printing mistake immortalized him forever in the memorabilia world.
Other cards of DeHaan hold value as well since he became synonymous with this famous error. High-grade rookies or parallels attract interest. It is that 1997 Upper Deck card that is the true crown jewel and most iconic in any collection focusing on DeHaan. The obvious nature of showing him in a Padres uniform but with an incorrect number positioned it to gain legendary status amongst error card aficionados.
As for DeHaan’s actual baseball career, he spent parts of six seasons in the MLB between 1995-2003. After being dealt by Cincinnati to San Diego in 1998, he also had stints pitching for the Anaheim Angels, Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, and Detroit Tigers before retiring. He compiled a career 18-18 record with a 4.63 ERA and 15 saves over 221 total games, all in relief. His best statistical season came in 2000 for the Angels, where he posted a 2-2 record with a 3.21 ERA and 5 saves in 55 appearances.
Despite only playing a backup role in the big leagues, DeHaan enjoyed a nice 10-year professional career overall including time in the minor leagues. He consistently missed enough bats with a 92-94 MPH fastball to stick around, though his batting average against hovered around .270 each year. Control issues held him back from realizing his full potential at the highest level. Still, it was enough time in uniform to produce that infamous 1997 error card that would cement his place in the hobby.
After retiring in 2003, DeHaan stayed actively involved in baseball through coaching. He spent three seasons as the bullpen coach for the Diamondbacks Rookie League team from 2007-2009. Then from 2010-2012 he was the pitching coach for the Yakima Bears, a short season Single-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks at the time. This gave DeHaan the chance to stay close to the game and share his experience with the next generation of pitchers coming up through the minors.
To this day, whenever Kory DeHaan’s name comes up in the baseball card collecting community, the conversation immediately turns to discussing the famous error on his 1997 Upper Deck card. While only appearing in 221 major league games over nine seasons, that single misprinted card immortalized him and made him recognizable to even casual fans and newcomers getting into the hobby. The rarity, blatant nature of the mistake, and gorgeous photography involved have cemented it as a true treasure for memorabilia enthusiasts. Though not a true star player, Kory DeHaan will always be remembered for his place in the error card hall of fame.
