The 1999 Topps baseball card set featured many rookie cards of players who went on to have successful Major League careers. Some of the top rookies in the 1999 Topps set included Jorge Posada, Alfonso Soriano, Derek Jeter, and Chase Utley. Let’s take a more in-depth look at some of those rookie cards and the players’ careers.
One of the most sought-after 1999 Topps rookie cards is that of future five-time World Series champion and New York Yankees Captain Derek Jeter. The #166 card shows a clean-shaven Jeter in his classic Yankees batting stance. In his rookie season of 1996, Jeter hit .314 with 10 home runs and 78 RBIs and finished third in AL Rookie of the Year voting. He would go on to be named AL Rookie of the Year by the Sporting News. Jeter was a 14-time All-Star, won five Gold Glove awards, and his career .310 batting average is the highest of any player with at least 3,000 hits in MLB history. In 2020, Jeter was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility with over 99% of the vote. His 1999 Topps rookie card can fetch upwards of $1,000 or more in mint condition today due to his legend and success.
Another highly sought-after rookie from the 1999 Topps set is that of Alfonso Soriano. The #225 card shows Soriano wearing number 12 for the New York Yankees with a blue bat in his hands. Soriano had played in 52 games for the Yankees in 1999, batting .255 with 5 home runs and 14 RBIs in a utility role. He would break out in 2002 for the Yankees, batting .300 with 22 home runs and 88 RBIs en route to being named the AL Rookie of the Year. Soriano went on to have a 20-year MLB career spending time with the Yankees, Rangers, Nationals, Cubs, and Yankees again, making 2 All-Star teams and winning the 2006 NL batting title. At the height of his powers in 2006 with the Cubs, he led the NL in home runs (46) and RBIs (136). Soriano’s 1999 Topps rookie card has a value of around $50-100 in mint condition due to his success as a perennial All-Star.
Another notable top rookie from the 1999 Topps set is Jorge Posada. The #222 card depicts Posada smiling in his Yankees batting helmet. Posada had debuted for the Yankees in 1995 and served as their backup catcher for years behind Joe Girardi. In 1999, he began to take over the starting catcher role, batting .265 with 14 home runs and 58 RBIs. Posada would go on to be known as one of the best hitting catchers of all-time and a key member of five World Series championship teams with the Yankees from 1998-2009. A five-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger winner, Posada ended his career with a .273 average, 275 home runs, and 1,065 RBIs. He was inducted into the Yankees’ Hall of Fame in 2015. Due to his popularity and success in pinstripes, his 1999 Topps rookie card has maintained a high value in the $150-$250 range depending on condition.
One of the top baseball performers of the late 1990s/early 2000s who debuted in the 1999 Topps set was Chase Utley. The #164 rookie card features Utley with short hair worn under his Phillies batting helmet. Utley had played 9 games for the Phillies in 1998 but was primarily in the minors in 1999. He became the Phillies starting second baseman in 2003 and never looked back. In 2004, Utley exploded with 32 home runs, 104 RBIs, a .296 average and finished 4th in NL MVP voting. He went on to bat .282 with a career-high 32 home runs and 103 RBIs in 2005 en route to winning the NL Hank Aaron Award and finishing 2nd in MVP voting. Utley maintained his All-Star form through 2009 and helped the Phillies win the World Series in 2008. He retired after the 2015 season having cemented his status as one of the best second basemen of his era with a career .276 average, 249 home runs, 912 RBIs, and 6 Silver Slugger awards. His 1999 Topps rookie card can sell in the $75-150 range based on condition.
Four players who went on to short but productive careers had their rookie cards featured in the 1999 Topps set – Mark Kotsay, Lenny Harris, David Bell, and Damon Buford. Kotsay’s #98 rookie card shows him batting for the Florida Marlins in their teal jersey. He played 15 seasons in the majors, hitting .276 while playing for six different teams including a World Series title with the Marlins in 2003. Harris’ #316 card pictures him with slicked-back hair batting for the Cincinnati Reds. “L-Train” played 17 seasons, primarily as a middle infield utility man, and set the MLB record for pinch-hits with 171. Bell’s #184 card depicts him swinging as a rookie third baseman for the Cleveland Indians. He played 16 seasons, won a World Series with the Cardinals in 2011, and finished with a .257 average. Buford’s #224 card shows him with a batting helmet and bat for the Philadelphia Phillies. He spent six seasons in the majors with the Phillies and White Sox. All four players have rookie cards valued around $15-30 depending on condition.
While the previous players went on establish themselves, some rookies featured in the 1999 Topps set did not pan out or only had brief MLB careers. For example, outfielders Terrence Long (#252) and Alex Sanchez (#280) and pitchers Jason Standridge (#256), Bruce Chen (#304), and Bryce Florie (#236) each played two years or less in the big leagues. Other brief careers included Chad Meyers (#240), a catcher who batted .219 in 46 games for the Angels; outfielder Jesus Tavarez (#228) who hit .228 in 101 games for three teams; and third baseman Ryan Jensen (#264) who posted a .551 OPS in 41 games for Oakland. Their rookie cards hold little value at around $1-5 or less.
The 1999 Topps baseball card set showcased many future stars and All-Stars like Derek Jeter, Alfonso Soriano, Jorge Posada, and Chase Utley among its rookie selections. It also featured the budding careers of role players like Kotsay, Harris, Bell and Buford. Not every prospect pans out as hoped as lesser played rookies like Long, Sanchez, Meyers and others proved. Overall it remains a set with many notable and valuable rookie cards of franchise cornerstones and well-known players today due to their stats and Hall of Fame performances well after the 1994 MLB strike shortened season.
