Mike Trout is widely considered to be the best all-around player in Major League Baseball today. As such, his Topps baseball cards are highly sought after by collectors both for their scarcity and for his immense on-field talents that are represented on cardboard. While still early in his career, Trout has already put together a Hall of Fame worthy resume and his rookie cards from his early years with the Los Angeles Angels are some of the prized possessions in the collections of dedicated card collectors.
Trout was selected 25th overall by the Angels in the 2009 MLB Draft out of high school in New Jersey. Despite his young age, he moved quickly through the Angels farm system and made his MLB debut in 2011 at just 19 years old. That first season established Trout as a future superstar, as he hit .220 with 5 home runs and 30 RBI in 87 games while showcasing elite speed and defense. Topps captured Trout’s potential in his rookie card from 2011, the same year Joe Mauer was the cover athlete for the brand. Even at the time, dedicated collectors recognized Trout’s skills and snapped up as many of his rookie cards as possible, correctly predicting he would become one of the faces of the league.
In 2012, Trout fully broke out in just his second MLB season at age 20. He slashed .326/.399/.564 with 30 home runs, 83 RBI, and 49 stolen bases, joining Ty Cobb as the only players in MLB history to record those numbers. In recognition of his phenomenal sophomore campaign, Topps chose Trout as the cover athlete for their 2013 baseball card series, making him just the third player since 2000 to be featured after Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez. The 2012 Topps Trout rookie card is highly valued now, routinely fetching thousands of dollars as one of the prized pieces of any collection.
The performance that truly catapulted Trout into superstardom and sealed his status amongst the elites of the sport came in 2016. Playing in just his age 24 season, Trout led the American League in on-base percentage (.441), slugging percentage (.629), OPS (1.070), runs scored (123), and total bases (343) en route to his second MVP award. Topps commemorated this dominant offensive campaign with a unique “1 of 1” parallel card for Trout, making it one of the true one-of-a-kind items in the hobby. Beyond the statistics, this card captured Trout at the absolute peak of his abilities in arguably the greatest single season by a player of his generation. It’s estimated that if one of these extremely rare parallel versions were to become available, it could sell for well over $100,000 due to its singular nature and representing Trout’s 2016 dominance.
While trout’s offensive accolades have continued to pile up through his age 28 season in 2020, what’s often overlooked is just how great of a defender Trout is as well. He has won 8 Gold Glove awards to go along with his 3 AL MVPs and perennial AL batting title contention. Topps has always showcased Trout’s all-around game by including shots of his spectacular catches, canon arm, and highlight reel throws on many of his decade’s worth of base cards so far. His skills in the field are truly remarkable to witness in person and help solidify Trout’s case as one of the most well-rounded and dynamic players of all-time. Collectors appreciate Topps’s depiction of Trout’s defense as it helps encapsulate what makes him such a special talent.
Currently in his age 29 season of 2021, Trout is still performing at an elite level as he continues living up to the promise of stardom his early Topps cards foretold. While injuries limited him to just 36 games in 2020, he returned healthy in 2021 and is posting typical Trout-esque stats of .333 batting average with 19 home runs and 50 RBI through his first 71 games this season. As Trout enters his 10th MLB campaign and now decade in the big leagues, the value of his rookie cards has skyrocketed to new heights. PSA 10 gem mint versions of his iconic 2009 Bowman Chrome Draft Prospects rookie card now sell for upwards of $400,000, cemented as one of the most valuable modern baseball cards that exists.
Without question, Mike Trout is one of the true generational talents baseball has seen. Through an entire decade’s worth of Topps cards, collectors have been able to track and appreciate not just the stats, but visually witness Trout’s development into the consensus best player in baseball today. While still early in his career and chasing all-time MLB records, Trout’s accomplishments thus far have already made his rookie cards iconic, valuable possessions that capture not just a great player, but an era of dominance. As Trout continues performing at his peak well into his 30s, the value of his Topps rookie cards from the early 2010s will surely increase even further as they become more important pieces of baseball card history with each passing season.
