Shohei Ohtani is a true two-way star in Major League Baseball, both pitching and hitting at an elite level. As a rare player who excels on both sides of the ball, Ohtani has become one of the most popular and sought-after players in baseball cards in recent years. His rookie cards in particular hold significant value for collectors.
Ohtani was already a star in Nippon Professional Baseball in his native Japan before joining the MLB with the Los Angeles Angels as a highly touted international signing. He made his MLB debut in 2018 and immediately began demonstrating his tremendous talent and skills. That first season established Ohtani as a must-have rookie for any serious baseball card collector.
One of Ohtani’s most coveted rookie cards is the 2018 Topps Series 1 #156 card. This was the first widely available Ohtani card produced after he joined the Angels. The design highlights his stats and accomplishments in Japan along with his exciting potential in MLB. While not overly rare in its initial print run, this rookie card has increased dramatically in value as Ohtani’s star has continued to rise. Near mint copies now commonly sell for well over $100, with gem mint 10 graded versions fetching thousands.
Another hugely popular Ohtani rookie is the 2018 Bowman Chrome Prospects Autograph #BO-SO card. As an autographed rookie card from Bowman, the top brand for prospect cards, this was an instant hit. The refractors (“chrome”) parallel made the autograph really pop under a light as well. The rarity of a signed Bowman rookie also drove up demand and prices quickly. Even well-centered unsigned versions sell for $50-100 now, while a PSA 10 autographed copy could be worth over $1,000.
Ohtani continued producing highlight reel plays and jaw-dropping stats in 2019 that kept collectors hunting his cards. The 2019 Topps Series 1 card #132 became another must-have for showing his continued progress. The 2020 season was cut short by injury for Ohtani, but collectors recognized his immense talent remained. His cards from 2020 products like Topps, Bowman, and Stadium Club retained strong value anticipation for his return to form.
In 2021, Ohtani had a breakout, MVP-caliber season unlike anything seen before. He was a top pitcher and hitter simultaneously, launching over 40 home runs at the plate while posting dominant numbers on the mound. This incredible two-way performance made Ohtani one of the most sought-after players in the entire hobby. His 2021 Topps Series 1 card skyrocketed to over $100 even for common versions as his hype reached new heights.
Ohtani’s first ever Topps Finest Refractor parallel card from 2021 is considered one of his “hit” cards from that magical season. The refractors caught the light in a beautiful way showing off his picture. Combined with the prestige of the high-end Finest brand, PSA 10 examples of this card have sold for over $500. From Heritage High Number to Bowman Chrome, collectors scrambled to find Ohtani parallels and short prints from 2021 that highlighted his dual talent.
Looking to the future, Ohtani’s career is just getting started and he will likely have many more amazing seasons that make his cards valuable for years. As long as he stays healthy and productive on the mound and at the plate, new Ohtani rookies and stars will be hot commodities. More rare autographs, memorabilia cards, and one-of-one parallel prints involving him could gain immense value over time as a true generational talent. For baseball card collectors, Shohei Ohtani’s unique two-way star power has made following his career and collecting his cards extremely enjoyable and potentially lucrative.
