In 1993, Topps released their annual Team USA set featuring cards of American baseball players. This set marked a transition period for USA Baseball cards as it was one of the last sets solely focused on amateur players before future issues began incorporating more professional players. The 32 card base set from 1993 provides a snapshot of the talent that would soon graduate to the major leagues and serve as the foundation for Team USA’s success on the international stage in the late 90s.
One of the standout players from the 1993 Team USA set was shortstop Nomar Garciaparra, who was drafted by the Red Sox 5th overall in the 1994 MLB Draft after completing his junior year at Gateway High School in Arizona. Garciaparra’s smooth defensive skills and compact swing that generated surprising power made him one of the top baseball prospects in the nation. His shining performance for Team USA that summer further enhanced his reputation and his card from the ’93 set remains one of the most valuable. At just 19 years old, Garciaparra looked poised to become a stalwart for Team USA for years to come but his professional career took off quicker than expected.
Two future All-Stars from the late 90s Yankees dynasties were also featured, Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada. As incoming freshmen at the University of Michigan, Jeter and Posada led Team USA to the gold medal at the 1992 18U World Championship Tournament. Their cards reflected the talent and poise they possessed at a young age that would translate to sustained success at the major league level. While Posada patrolled catcher, Jeter dazzled at shortstop with his glove and served as a sparkplug at the top of the order with his bat. Both players shined for the Wolverines in 1993 before turning pro the following year.
The pitching corps for Team USA in 1993 included future Cy Young winners Pedro Martínez and Ben Sheets. As a 20 year old, Martinez’ power arm already possessed plus velocity and an array of devastating off-speed pitches. His card captured the promise of the future Hall of Famer who would go on to dominate batters for over a decade in the majors. Sheets, meanwhile, owned a projectable 6’3 frame and electric four-seam fastball-curveball combination while pitching for the University of Florida. Injuries would deny Sheets from reaching his full potential but he still enjoyed a successful big league career highlighted by an ’04 All-Star nod.
Future MLB All-Star and World Series champion Troy Glaus was also part of the Team USA infield in ’93. As a lanky third baseman coming out of Santa Margarita Catholic High School in California, Glaus displayed an enticing blend of offensive potential with his raw power and natural arm strength on defense. His athleticism and work ethic allowed him to refine his game and become an established power threat in the majors. The 1993 season was a coming out party of sorts for Glaus and helped cement his status as one of the premier teenage talents in the country.
Additional future big leaguers featured on the 1993 Team USA roster included outfielder Jason Varitek, who caught at Georgia Tech; pitcher Joe Mays, an imposing righty from Tulsa; and second basemanBret Boone, a slick fielder from the University of Southern California. All three players enjoyed lengthy careers primarily known for their contributions on consistently competitive clubs. Varitek’s leadership abilities helped shaped the heart of the Red Sox teams that broke the curse in 2004 and 2007 while Boone formed an integral part of the Mariners’ renaissance in the late 90s and early 2000s.
The 1993 Team USA set concludes with a few lesser known players that still offered promise such as pitcher Clay Condrey from San Jacinto College in Texas and catcher Dan Wilson from Liberty University. While Condrey and Wilson never became All-Stars, they hung around the majors for a decade apiece thanks to solid control and defensive aptitude behind the plate, respectively. Rounding out the roster was utility player Jeff Conine, who made a name for himself with several career renaissances throughout the late 90s and early 2000s primarily with the Marlins. His reliable bat made him a valuable bench piece for contenders.
In totality, the 1993 Team USA baseball card set stands out because it preceded the international success Team USA forged with professionals in the late 90s. players like Garciaparra, Jeter, Posada, Martinez, and Glaus went on to enjoy Hall of Fame caliber careers while others like Mays, Boone, Varitek and Sheets ensured memorable runs with their respective franchises. Though not all panned out as expected, the 1993 team offered a glimpse of raw potential that helped strengthen the talent pool powering the USA baseball program through sustained excellence following. For collectors, it serves as a distinctive historical footnote chronicling some the game’s brightest future stars in their formative amateur years.
