Andrew Painter is one of the top pitching prospects in all of baseball and his cards have become highly sought after by collectors in recent years. Painter, a right-handed pitcher, was selected by the Miami Marlins with the 13th overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft out of high school in Delbarton School in Morristown, New Jersey. Due to his elite status as a prep arm and high draft position, Painter’s rookie cards started gaining value as soon as he was drafted.
In his first full professional season in 2022 playing for the Marlins’ Low-A affiliate in Jupiter, Florida, Painter established himself as not just one of the best pitching prospects in the Marlins system, but in all of baseball. He pitched to a 1.46 ERA with 99 strikeouts over 68 innings in just 12 starts before being promoted to High-A Beloit at the end of the season. This breakout performance sent demand for his rookie cards through the roof as collectors rushed to acquire cards from his first Bowman sets.
Some of Painter’s most sought after and valuable rookie cards come from his 2021 Bowman Draft cards. This was the first set to feature Painter after he was selected in the draft. His base paper rookie card from this set in a PSA 10 gem mint condition has sold for over $1,000. His autographed paper rookie card /99 from the same set has sold for upwards of $4,000. Painter’s prized rookie card is considered to be his 2021 Bowman Chrome Yellow Refractor Auto /99 card, which has a PSA 10 pop of just 2 copies. Examples of this ultra-rare card in a PSA 10 have sold at auction for over $15,000, showing just how much demand there is for Painter’s top cards.
Painter had another strong showing in 2022 Bowman, which is considered the true modern-day rookie card set in the hobby. His base paper rookie from the 2022 Bowman set also routinely sells for $1,000+ in a PSA 10 gem mint grade. The prized parallel from this set is his Green Refractor Auto /99 card, with PSA 10 examples selling for $5,000 and up. Painter’s autographed cards are highly sought after by collectors looking to add a star prospect’s auto to their collection.
Beyond his Bowman rookie cards, Painter also had cards in the 2021 Topps Chrome Update Series and 2022 Topps Series 1 & 2 sets following his draft and first pro season. While not true modern rookies, these cards featuring Painter’s first MLB license photos still carry value. A PSA 10 of his Topps Chrome paper base sells for $300-500. His Topps Series 1 & 2 paper base cards in PSA 10 grade have sold in the $150-250 range.
Looking ahead to Painter’s 2023 card offerings, collectors are eagerly awaiting his next Bowman cards as well as any Topps Update Series or Series 1 & 2 cards showing his progress. As one of the highest ceiling pitching prospects in the game, Painter has the potential to be a future ace and demand for his cards is expected to only increase over time if he continues developing his skills. If he can make his big-league debut in 2024 or 2025, his Bowman rookie cards from 2021 & 2022 could reach $10,000+ PSA 10 prices as an established MLB star.
For collectors looking to speculate on young prospects before they reach the majors, Andrew Painter’s cards present an opportunity to buy into one of the top arms in the minors who scouts project to have true ace ability. With each new prospect card release and positive report from the Marlins about his performance and stuff, Painter’s cards have risen in value significantly in just over a year. As long as he stays healthy and on track with his development, his cards should continue to be a strong long-term investment prospect for those willing to hold them for 5-10 years. At just 19 years old heading into 2023, Painter has all the tools to potentially become a true superstar and one of the most valuable prospects in the hobby.
