Dylan Davis had a short but productive career in Major League Baseball that spanned from 2016 to 2021. Though he only played parts of four seasons in the big leagues, Davis made enough of an impact that collectors have sought after his rookie cards and other memorabilia. Let’s take a deeper look at some of the key Dylan Davis baseball cards that have been released over the years.
Davis was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 6th round of the 2012 MLB June Amateur Draft out of high school in Arizona. He rose steadily through the Cubs farm system, showing impressive power and becoming one of their top prospects. Davis made his MLB debut with the Cubs in 2016 at age 23. His first card came that same year in Topps Series 1, the flagship set released early in the season. Davis’ 2016 Topps Series 1 rookie card shows him in a Cubs uniform with his stats from his minor league career listed on the back. Though not a particularly rare card since it was from a modern mass-produced set, Davis’ rookie remains one of the key cards for collectors of his career.
In Davis’ rookie season of 2016 he appeared in 29 games for the Cubs, batting .231 with 3 home runs in limited playing time. He showed flashes of his power potential but still had more developing to do. Davis spent most of 2017 back in Triple-A for refinement before returning to the Cubs in September. His 2017 Topps Series 2 card captured him during his time back in the minors that season. Davis continued to prove himself in 2018, making the Cubs’ Opening Day roster and getting significantly more at-bats than in previous years. He hit .237 with 9 home runs and 25 RBI in 78 games, establishing himself as a capable power-hitting bench player.
Davis’ breakout season came in 2019 after being traded from the Cubs to the San Diego Padres in the offseason. He earned a starting role with the Padres and capitalized, batting .256 with a career-high 18 home runs and 40 RBI in 89 games. Davis’ success that year is commemorated by collectors through his 2019 Topps Series 1 and Series 2 cards, both showing him in a Padres uniform after the trade. The 2019 season established Davis as a legitimate big league regular and increased demand for his cards from that year, especially from Padres fans looking to commemorate his contributions.
Tragically, Davis’ career was cut short after suffering a serious knee injury sliding into second base during a game in August 2020. He underwent surgery and extensive rehab, but was never able to regain his form upon returning in 2021. After batting just .118 in 15 games that season, Davis announced his retirement from baseball at age 29 in November 2021. His final career stats were a .228 batting average with 30 home runs and 101 RBI in 250 games spanning five seasons with the Cubs and Padres.
While his career was brief, Davis left an impression on collectors through the key cards issued during his time in MLB. His rookie cards remain the most sought-after, especially higher-end parallels and autographs. Cards from his breakout 2019 season with the Padres also hold value since they commemorate his best statistical year. More recently, collectors have taken interest in Davis’ final 2021 cards as a way to remember his career. Though short-lived, Dylan Davis made enough of an impact on the field to be remembered and collected through his baseball cards years after his playing days ended. For fans and collectors of the slugging outfielder, his cards serve as a lasting tribute to a career cut short.
