The baseball card collecting hobby is as popular as ever, with new collectors joining every day. Part of the allure and excitement of collecting cards is finding cards of current players who are among the hottest and most promising young stars in the game today. These up-and-coming players have the potential to have truly iconic baseball careers, and their rookie cards available right now could become extremely valuable holdings for collectors in the future if the players live up to expectations on the field. Let’s take a look at some of the baseball cards that are sizzling hot in today’s market for current MLB players.
Perhaps the most sought-after young star in baseball right now is Los Angeles Angels outfielder/pitcher Shohei Ohtani. The 27-year-old Japanese phenom is truly a unicorn as one of very few players in MLB history who plays both ways as a stellar hitter and pitcher. In 2021, Ohtani’s second season in MLB, he followed up a solid rookie campaign by winning the American League MVP award. As both a dominant pitcher and feared power hitter, Ohtani is must-watch TV every time he takes the field. His 2018 Topps baseball rookie card is one of the most valuable currently on the market for a modern player card, regularly commanding prices well over $100 and sometimes over $1000 depending on the card’s grade and condition. Any Ohtani rookie cards, especially autograph or memorabilia cards, hold immense potential value if he continues his dominance on the field in the years to come.
Another tantalizing young star minting hot cards currently is Toronto Blue Jays slugging outfielder Vladimir Guerrero Jr. The son of Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero, the 23-year-old Guerrero Jr. has quickly become one of MLB’s premier power hitters. In 2021, he led all of baseball with 48 home runs in only 150 games played. Scouts drool over his compact swing that generates tremendous lift and backspin, making his moonshot blasts a joy to watch. Guerrero’s 2018 Topps Series 1 baseball rookie card is a strong value play right now, as any hits he racks up this season could make it a true blue chip card long-term. Rated rookie cards from brands like Bowman are also poised to spike if Vlad Jr. becomes the perennial MVP candidate many projections foresee.
Moving to the National League, San Diego Padres star shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. is a bona fide superstar and one of the faces of baseball at only 23 years of age. Coming off a 34-homer, 97-RBI breakout season in 2021 where he finished third in NL MVP voting, Tatis is must-see TV every night with his do-it-all skills and pure enthusiasm for the game. He hits for both power and average, is a daring baserunner, and has highlight-reel plays in the field routinely. Any Tatis Jr. rookie cards from Topps, Bowman, or Panini currently carry strong intrinsic value tied directly to his abilities on the diamond. Long-term, if he stays healthy and continues his uprising, his 2018 Bowman Chrome Baseball Prospect Refractor Autograph card could be one of the most expensive modern baseball cards in existence when all is said and done given his immense star power.
In Washington, Nationals outfielder Juan Soto has asserted himself as one of the premier young pure hitters in MLB today at just 23 years old. Still several years away from his athletic prime, Soto has already amassed over 150 career MLB hits including 42 home runs, and owns a career .895 OPS through three MLB seasons thus far. Scouts marvel at his professional plate approach and ability to barrel any pitch in any location. His 2018 Bowman Sterling Baseball card is still on the relative low end of the price spectrum compared to the immense abilities Soto has flashed so far in the Majors. It represents an affordable entry point to own a potential superstar’s earliest card before prices surely elevate through his 20s. Be sure to also seek out autograph or memorabilia cards, as they offer exponentially more upside if Soto’s career remains on its probable Hall of Fame track.
In the American League, eyes are on up-and-coming Cleveland Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan. At just 24 years old, Kwan made a stunning MLB debut in 2022 by batting .298 with a .367 on-base percentage through his first 30 games, flashing outstanding bat-to-ball skills and plate discipline. With his contact-oriented skill set, Kwan seems destined to hit for a high average for years to come. His 2022 Topps Series 1 base card is the first and only rookie card currently available on the market. Over time, if Kwan lives up to potential as a perennial .300 hitter, it could easily become one of the hot classics from the modern era. It’s a relatively low investment now that could have very nice returns down the line.
While cards for rookie phenoms are always especially enticing bets, it’s also wise to pay attention to stars still in their prime hitting years as well. For example, New York Mets ace pitcher Max Scherzer is enjoying the best years of his likely Hall of Fame career at age 37, performing at an elite level after signing a megadeal with the Mets last winter. Any Scherzer rookies or early career hits from his days with the Diamondbacks, Tigers, or Nationals are shrewd speculation pieces given how high his performance remains. Meanwhile, St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, still raking at 34, represents a solid value on his early Dodgers/Diamondbacks rookie cards and prospects which could bask in reflected luster from a likely Cooperstown induction down the line. Purchasing these proven studs at the heights of their abilities makes for prudent portfolio choices.
Tracking and collecting the hottest young baseball stars just beginning to make their mark on the game as well as established veterans in the prime of Hall of Fame careers offers collectors opportunities to purchase potentially blue-chip cards at reasonable entry points. If players like Tatis Jr., Guerrero Jr., Ohtani, Soto, Kwan, Scherzer and Goldschmidt continue excelling, early cards acquired today could net significant windfalls tomorrow as appreciation assets. By doing research to identify players with superstar potentials based on scouting analyses, work ethic, skills, and health, collectors can feel confident investing in today’s sizzling rookie and early career baseball cards of baseball’s brightest lights. With the immense popularity and continued growth of the sport and the hobby, these ballplayers’ achievements on the field will undoubtedly translate to strong card values for savvy collectors.
