Drew VerHagen Baseball Cards Overview
Drew VerHagen is a right-handed pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 2014-2021. While he never became a star player, VerHagen had a respectable career as a role player and versatile pitcher, appearing in games as both a starter and reliever. As a result of his MLB tenure, VerHagen has a collection of baseball cards that chronicle his professional baseball journey. Let’s take a deeper look at some of the most notable Drew VerHagen baseball cards from his time in the majors.
2014 Bowman Draft Chrome Autograph Refractor RC
One of the key early VerHagen cards is his 2014 Bowman Draft Chrome Autograph Refractor rookie card. As a fifth round draft pick of the Detroit Tigers in 2012, VerHagen’s first card came out in 2014 coinciding with his MLB debut season. The card features his photo in a Tigers uniform on the front along with his autograph on the back. As an autographed rookie card from one of the premier baseball card brands, the 2014 Bowman Draft Chrome Autograph Refractor RC holds value for VerHagen collectors. PSA 10 gem mint examples of this card currently sell for around $100-150 depending on the market. Overall it’s one of the more desirable early VerHagen cards for collectors.
2015 Topps Baseball RC
Another important early VerHagen rookie card came in 2015 Topps baseball series 1. As one of the major sports card brands, Topps rookie cards hold significance for any MLB player. The 2015 Topps VerHagen rookie features his action shot in a Tigers uniform along with basic career stats and bio on the back. While not as rare as some of his autographed cards, the 2015 Topps RC remains a staple for any VerHagen collection given its brand recognition within the hobby. Near mint PSA 8 versions can usually be found for $10-15.
2016 Topps Update RC Variation
An interesting VerHagen variation card comes from 2016 Topps baseball update series. That year, Topps inserted additional rookie cards for players who had debuted after the initial series was printed. The 2016 Topps Update included a Drew VerHagen rookie variation featuring an action close-up shot instead of the standard full body pose. While not necessarily more valuable than the base 2015 Topps rookie, the 2016 update variation adds diversity to any VerHagen collection. Expect to pay $5-8 for a well-centered copy.
2017 Topps Tigers Team Set Card
By 2017, VerHagen had established himself as a reliable arm in the Tigers bullpen and began appearing more regularly in flagship Topps sets beyond just his rookie cards. That year’s Topps Tigers team set card features VerHagen in the team’s home pinstripes along with stats from the 2016 season. As he continued playing in Detroit, cards like the 2017 Topps team issue helped document VerHagen’s progression at the MLB level with that franchise. Near mint copies can be found for $3-5.
2018 Topps National Baseball Card Day Red Parallel
In 2018, Topps released special red parallel versions of cards to commemorate National Baseball Card Day. One of those cards included a Drew VerHagen parallel from the 2018 Topps series 1 set. While the photo and design match the base card, the dramatic red border and tint make this parallel quite visually appealing. It’s also relatively scarce compared to the standard issue. Among VerHagen collectors, the 2018 National Baseball Card Day red parallel can demand a $10-15 premium over the basic card.
2019 Topps Fire Autograph RC
One of the more coveted modern VerHagen cards appeared in 2019 Topps Fire, which featured autographed rookie cards of current MLB players. The VerHagen included in this high-end product signed his photo and debuted his new uniform with the Toronto Blue Jays, to whom he was traded in 2018. As an on-card autograph of a major league player from a premier modern set, well-centered 2019 Topps Fire Autograph RC fetch up to $50-75 depending on condition. It remains one of the most valuable VerHagen cards available.
Post-Career Memorabilia Cards
Even after retiring from MLB following the 2021 season, VerHagen continues to see new cards released featuring pieces of his professional baseball memorabilia. Examples include 2021 Topps Transcendent containing memorabilia cards with swatches of his jerseys worn with the Tigers, Blue Jays, and others. There have also been bats and autograph memorabilia cards featuring VerHagen in recent years. While not necessarily his most iconic cards statistically, these post-career memorabilia releases help complete the chronicle and collectability of Drew VerHagen’s time in the majors through unique baseball relic elements. Pricing on such memorabilia cards tends to range between $20-40 based on the included artifact.
While not an all-time MLB star, Drew VerHagen enjoyed a respectable major league career that has resulted in an interesting collection of baseball cards from his years pitching in Detroit, Toronto, and beyond. From early Bowman prospects to later Topps updates and special parallels, his cards provide a snapshot of his professional journey. Top rookie cards and autographed memorabilia pieces remain the most significant for dedicated VerHagen collectors. His diverse assortment of baseball cards serves as a fitting tribute to an effective role player at the game’s highest level.
