Baseball cards have been a popular collectible for decades, with some vintage cards from the 1950s and 1960s selling for millions of dollars in recent years. There are also plenty of modern baseball cards from the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s that can hold significant value, especially rookie cards for star players.
Rookie cards, which feature a player’s first appearance in a trading card set during their rookie season, are often the most coveted and financially valuable cards in a player’s collection. This is because they represent capturing a player at the very beginning of their career, before they have established themselves as a star in Major League Baseball. If that rookie goes on to have a Hall of Fame caliber career, their rookie card often appreciates tremendously in value over the long run.
With that in mind, here is a look at some top baseball rookie cards from the past 20 years that are worth money today and could become even more valuable investments in the future:
Mike Trout 2009 Bowman Chrome Draft RC BGS 9.5 – $96,000
Mike Trout is widely considered the best player in baseball today. His 2009 Bowman Chrome Draft rookie card, graded mint condition BGS 9.5, recently sold for a staggering $96,000, showing just how coveted and valuable Trout rookies have become. Even lower graded Trout 2009 Bowman Chrome rookies in the $10,000 range are still excellent long term investments.
Bryce Harper 2012 Bowman Chrome Superfractor RC PSA 10 – $50,000
At just 27 years old, Bryce Harper has already established himself as a perennial All-Star and 2015 NL MVP. His ultra-rare 2012 Bowman Chrome Superfractor rookie card, graded mint PSA 10, set a new record by selling for over $50,000. Other Harper 2012 Bowman Chrome rookies in PSA 10 can fetch $10,000+.
Manny Machado 2013 Bowman Chrome RC Auto BGS 9.5 – $22,000
Manny Machado has been an All-Star four times in his young career so far with the Orioles and Dodgers. His highly coveted 2013 Bowman Chrome rookie card autograph, in pristine BGS 9.5 condition, sold for an impressive $22,000. Even non-autographed Machado 2013 Bowman Chrome rookies in gem mint condition sell for $1,000+.
Fernando Tatis Jr. 2018 Bowman Chrome RC PSA 10 – $15,000
Still just 21 years old, Fernando Tatis Jr. had a breakout 2019 season with the Padres that announced his arrival as a budding superstar. As a result, his ultra-rare 2018 Bowman Chrome rookie card, graded perfect gem mint PSA 10, skyrocketed in value to $15,000 in just over a year. Tatis rookies still graded PSA 9 can sell for $2,000-3,000.
Ronald Acuña Jr. 2018 Bowman Chrome RC Auto PSA 10 – $10,000
Ronald Acuña Jr. took the MLB by storm in 2018 as a 20-year-old rookie with the Braves, finishing second in the NL Rookie of the Year voting. His autographed 2018 Bowman Chrome rookie card in pristine PSA 10 condition recently sold for $10,000, showing how highly-regarded Acuña’s long-term potential is. Even non-autographed Acuña 2018 Bowman Chrome rookies in PSA 10 grade sell for $3,000-5,000.
Pete Alonso 2018 Bowman Chrome RC Auto BGS 9.5 – $8,000
Pete Alonso broke out in a huge way for the Mets in 2019, smashing a rookie record 53 home runs to win NL Rookie of the Year honors. As a result, his 2018 Bowman Chrome rookie card autograph, graded flawless BGS 9.5, skyrocketed to $8,000 in value in just one year. Even non-autographed Alonso 2018 Bowman Chrome rookies in PSA 9 grade now sell for $500-1,000.
Juan Soto 2018 Bowman Chrome RC Auto PSA 10 – $7,500
At just 21 years old, Juan Soto has already established himself as one of the best young hitters in baseball with the Nationals. His autographed 2018 Bowman Chrome rookie card in pristine PSA 10 condition brought $7,500. Non-autographed Soto 2018 Bowman Chrome rookies in PSA 9 still sell for $1,500-2,000 as well.
Cody Bellinger 2016 Bowman Chrome RC Auto PSA 10 – $6,000
2019 NL MVP Cody Bellinger saw his 2016 rookie card values spike big time. His autographed 2016 Bowman Chrome rookie in gem mint PSA 10 condition hit $6,000. Even non-autographed Bellinger 2016 Bowman Chrome rookies in PSA 9 grade now sell for $1,000.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 2018 Bowman Chrome RC Auto PSA 10 – $5,000
Though he struggled at times in his 2019 MLB debut, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is still considered a true blue chip prospect for the Blue Jays. As a result, his pristine autographed 2018 Bowman Chrome rookie card in PSA 10 condition still brought an impressive $5,000 despite his rookie season struggles. Vladdy Jr. rookies remain solid long term investments.
While the above players represent the true cream of the crop in terms of modern baseball rookie cards worth significant money today, there are still plenty of other young stars whose rookie cards hold value in the $500-2,000 range as well if they are higher graded and more scarce versions. Players like Aaron Judge, Gleyber Torres, Eloy Jimenez, Lucas Giolito and others all have rookies worth owning for future potential appreciation.
The best modern baseball cards to target for holding long term as investments are higher graded rookie cards (PSA 9 or 10, BGS 9.5) from flagship Bowman and Topps Chrome sets issued within the last 5-10 years. Look for stars, short prints, autographs and serially numbered parallels to maximize scarcity and potential future value. With patience, even modestly priced modern rookies from today’s top prospects could pay off handsomely down the road.
