Jedd Gyorko had a relatively short but productive Major League Baseball career playing second base, third base, and shortstop from 2013 to 2019. While he didn’t have the career longevity of some stars, Gyorko made impacts both offensively and defensively in his time in the big leagues. As a result, Gyorko has an impressive collection of baseball cards from his playing days that collectors enjoy.
Gyorko was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 2nd round of the 2010 MLB Draft out of West Virginia University. He quickly moved through the Padres’ farm system, debuting in the majors in 2013 at just 24 years old. Gyorko’s rookie cards from 2013 Topps, Topps Chrome, Bowman Sterling, and Bowman Platinum are some of his most sought after. As one of the early cards showing Gyorko in a Padres uniform, these serve as important rookie issue cards for collectors following his career from the beginning.
Gyorko enjoyed a breakout season in 2014 with San Diego, batting .249 with 23 home runs and 63 RBI in just 460 at-bats over 132 games played. This led to increased exposure and more prominent cards in 2014 releases like Topps Series 1 and 2, Topps Chrome, Bowman, Leaf VALUABLE, and Stadium Club. The 2014 Topps Chrome Refractor parallel in particular is a highly valued Gyorko card thanks to his solid season stats and the Chrome parallel adding to its allure for collectors.
In 2015, Gyorko moved between second and third base while continuing to showcase his power for the Padres, hitting 16 home runs over just 100 games. His offensive production and defensive versatility made him a valuable role player. Cards from that season like 2015 Topps, Topps Series 2, Topps Chrome, Bowman, Topps Tribute, and Panini Prizm capture Gyorko in his third MLB campaign. Autograph and memorabilia cards from sets like 2015 Leaf Valuable Mirrors and Auto-Mats also became popular Gyorko collector pieces.
After the 2015 season, Gyorko was surprisingly traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for pitcher Joe Weiland and minor leaguer Magneuris Sierra. This marked a shift in teams for Gyorko card collectors to follow. His 2016 Cardinal base cards in Topps, Topps Chrome, Bowman, Stadium Club, and Allen & Ginter gave collectors their first looks at Gyorko in a new uniform. Autograph cards obtained by collectors at Cardinals fan festivals and charity events gained more value representing his new club.
Gyorko settled into a role as a starter and middle-of-the-order hitter for St. Louis in 2016-2017. He combined for 51 home runs and 137 RBI over those two seasons while seeing time at second and third base. Popular Gyorko cards from this period include 2016 Topps Update Series cards showing him with the Cardinals, as well as 2017 Topps and Topps Chrome cards highlighting another 20+ home run season. Patch and relic cards from heritage sets like 2017 Topps Heritage also gained traction as Gyorko collectors tracked pieces of his uniform over the years.
Injuries hampered Gyorko a bit in 2018, limiting him to just 96 games played and 12 home runs. He remained a valuable contributor off the bench and saw some postseason action as the Cardinals made the playoffs. Gyorko’s 2018 cards like Topps Series 1 & 2, Topps Chrome, Stadium Club, and Ginter Rookie stand out for showing him with St. Louis during a year he helped the team achieve playoff success. Memorabilia cards displaying pieces of his 2018 uniform remain desirable among collectors invested in tracking articles of his play.
Gyorko signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Dodgers prior to the 2019 season, opening up a new chapter in Dodger blue. Injuries hampered him again and he was limited to just 21 games for LA before being traded to the Milwaukee Brewers midway through the season. His 2019 cards like Topps, Topps Chrome, Bowman, Topps Big League, and Topps Project 70 capture him with both the Dodgers and Brewers in his final season. Autograph and memorabilia cards from his Dodgers and Brewers tenures have increased scarcity value given his minimal playing time leading up to retirement.
In summary, Jedd Gyorko left an impressive collection of baseball cards over his 7-year MLB career bouncing between four different franchises. While injuries curtailed his longevity, Gyorko demonstrated consistent power production and defensive skills when on the field. His rookie cards, prime years with the Padres and Cardinals, and final season splitting time with three clubs are all well-represented in the collecting hobby. Even a relatively short career like Gyorko’s still resulted in hundreds of memorable baseball cards for collectors to enjoy tracking his MLB journey.
