The 2015 Topps baseball card set featured some of the game’s biggest stars and newest rookies. While most of the base cards in the set carry little monetary value a year after release, some standouts have proven to be quite valuable for savvy collectors. The combination of a player’s on-field performance, popularity, and card rarity all factor into what drives certain 2015 Topps cards higher in value than others.
Leading the way is Mike Trout’s base card, numbered #57 in the set. Trout has firmly established himself as the best all-around player in baseball and regularly produces MVP caliber seasons for the Los Angeles Angels. What makes his 2015 Topps card especially sought after is the fact that Topps only printed his card in Series 1 packs that year. This scarcity has caused Trout’s base card to sell for over $100 on the secondary market, making it easily the most valuable from the flagship set.
Another Angels star doing big things is Shohei Ohtani, who came to MLB in 2018. Ohtani’s rookie card from 2015 Topps, card #99, has exploded in value given his two-way success pitching and hitting at a high level. With Ohtani still just 26 years old and transcending baseball’s traditional roles, collectors view his rookie as a prized long term investment. Mint condition Ohtani rookies now go for $300-400 on auction sites like eBay.
Staying in Southern California, the 2015 Topps card of Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw checks in as third most valuable at around $75-$100 per copy. Kershaw is a surefire future Hall of Famer still producing at an elite level despite injuries the last few seasons. His status as the greatest pitching of his generation makes his base rookie cards a must-have for Dodgers collectors and fans.
Moving to the East Coast, the standout rookie card of New York Mets starting pitcher Jacob deGrom also carries substantial value in the $50-75 range. deGrom won the NL Rookie of the Year award in 2014 and has since blossomed into a two-time Cy Young winner. With his power pitching and underdog story, deGrom was an instant fan favorite in Queens and collectors picked up on his potential early before his stardom fully blossomed.
Two of the game’s brightest young stars enjoying breakouts in recent years are Ronald Acuña Jr. of the Atlanta Braves and Juan Soto of the Washington Nationals. Acuña’s stellar rookie campaign in 2018 makes his 2015 Topps base card a hot commodity at $40-60 each. Meanwhile Soto, who hit the scene in 2018 and became a postseason folk hero, has his 2015 Topps rookie trading between $30-50 based off his immense upside and huge popularity at just 21 years old.
Three future Hall of Famers that remain steady drivers of value from the 2015 Topps set are Mike Trout’s Angels teammate Albert Pujols at $20-30, Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz at $15-25, and St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt at $10-15. Even in the later phases of their careers, the production and legacies of these superstar sluggers continue propping up interest in their base cards within the historic 2015 Topps release.
While these selections showcase the most financially valuable, there are still plenty of aesthetically prized 2015 Topps short prints, parallels, autographs and memorabilia cards that allure collectors. Unique parallel color variations like Gold, Silver, Blue, and Red; tough pulls like Mike Trout autographs and relics; and sneaky short prints make completing a 2015 Topps set an ongoing challenge. For players and moments frozen in cardboard during baseball’s middle 2010s, this flagship release will remain a definitive storing of that time in the sport’s history. Enjoyed by collectors, investors and fans alike, the 2015 Topps baseball cards continue providing enjoyment years after their original packs were ripped.
