Shohei Ohtani is one of the most unique and exciting players in Major League Baseball today. As a two-way star who pitches and hits with elite skill, Ohtani is doing something unprecedented that hasn’t been seen in the big leagues for over a century. Not only is Ohtani one of the top power hitters and ace starters in baseball, but his cards have also taken the collecting world by storm.
Ohtani was already a huge star in his native Japan before joining the MLB. He made his professional debut in 2013 with the Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball league. In just his second season, he was named the Central League’s MVP and established himself as one of the best young players in NPB. His early baseball cards from his time in Japan’s top league are highly sought after by international collectors.
Some of Ohtani’s earliest and most valuable Japanese baseball cards include his 2013 BBM Rookie Edition card, 2014 BBM 1st Version card, and 2015 BBM Best Nine Award Winner parallel card, which was inserted in BBM boxes that year to commemorate Ohtani winning an NPB Gold Glove and Best Nine Award. These early Japanese Ohtani rookie cards can fetch hundreds of dollars each in near-mint or better condition due to his superstar status and rarity in the West.
When Ohtani made the bold move to join Major League Baseball as a true two-way player in 2018, signing with the Los Angeles Angels, the excitement and intrigue around him reached new heights. His transition from Japan to America made Ohtani one of the most hyped rookies perhaps of all-time. Naturally, collectors went wild for his MLB rookie cards.
Some of the most sought-after Shohei Ohtani rookie cards from his debut 2018 season with the Angels include his Topps Baseball Series 1 base card, Topps Baseball Series 2 base card, Topps Baseball Update Series base card, Topps Chrome Update Series refractor parallel, Bowman Chrome Prospects autograph card, and Panini Contenders Draft Picks autograph card. Near-mint copies of Ohtani’s Topps Series 1 rookie have sold for over $1,000, showing just how coveted his first MLB cards were and still are today.
In addition to his highly valuable rookie cards, Ohtani’s Topps Project 70 parallels from 2018 and 2019 are some of the most visually stunning and rare baseball cards ever produced. Topps created the Project 70 set to commemorate the 70th anniversary of their baseball card company. Only 70 copies of each Project 70 card were made, featuring spectacular foil and autograph treatments. Ohtani’s 2018 and 2019 Topps Project 70 cards are considered the holy grails of his collection and can sell for tens of thousands of dollars in high grades.
While injuries limited Ohtani’s pitching appearances in 2019 and 2020, he continued smashing home runs at an incredible rate when healthy. His home run prowess made cards like his 2019 Topps Home Run Challenge parallels very popular. These parallels featured Ohtani on the front and a photo of the actual home run he hit on the back. They captured some of Ohtani’s most epic blasts.
In 2021, a fully healthy Ohtani had a breakout two-way season for the ages. He became the first player since Babe Ruth in 1919 to qualify as a pitcher and hitter in the same season. As a pitcher, he went 9-2 with a 3.18 ERA and 156 strikeouts over 130.1 innings pitched. At the plate, Ohtani swatted an AL-leading 46 home runs with 100 RBI and a .965 OPS.
Naturally, collectors went wild for Ohtani cards from 2021 chronicling his historic two-way campaign. His flagship rookie cards from previous years skyrocketed even higher in value. New parallels like Topps Finest Refractors and Topps Chrome Autographs captured Ohtani in all his two-way glory. Upper Deck also released lavish Ohtani autograph cards and memorabilia cards with game-used bats, jerseys, and more.
As Ohtani’s star power and on-field production continues to shine brightly, his baseball cards will remain some of the most sought-after and valuable in the hobby for years to come. He is doing something truly special that collectors want to commemorate. From his early Japanese cards to his iconic rookie cards chronicling his MLB arrival to new parallels from his record-setting 2021 season, Shohei Ohtani cards hold a special place in the collection of any true baseball enthusiast. His unprecedented two-way talents have made him a generational player who is sure to be remembered forever through the cards he has left behind.
