Kyle Higashioka is a little-known catcher in Major League Baseball who has played his entire career so far backing up stars like Gary Sánchez with the New York Yankees. For baseball card collectors, Higashioka offers the intrigue of a relatively obscure player with a growing MLB resume. Let’s take an in-depth look at the Kyle Higashioka baseball card collecting landscape.
Higashioka was drafted by the Yankees in the seventh round of the 2008 MLB June amateur draft out of Chula Vista High School in California. As an amateur, he did not have any traditional “rookie cards” produced in sets like Bowman and Topps Chrome. Collectors can find some of his earliest pro cards from sets issued during his 2008-2010 minor league seasons.
One of the earliest mainstream Higashioka cards comes from 2011 Topps Triple Threads. This parallel short-print features an on-card autograph swatch piece of his jersey with a serial numbering out of just 25 copies. Given the rarity and serial numbering, mint condition copies of this card occasionally sell for over $100. Another desirable early issue is a 2011 Bowman Sterling refractor short-print serial numbered to 10 copies. This autographed parallel routinely fetches more than $150 online.
After spending the early part of his pro career in the minors, Higashioka received his first extendedMajor League exposure with the Yankees in 2017. That season provided collectors with his true MLB “rookie cards” in sets like Topps, Bowman, Stadium Club and more. The standard base rookie cards in these sets trade hands in the $5-10 range. Parallels and autographed versions command higher prices proportionate to their scarcity. For example, a 2017 Topps Chrome Sapphire parallel rookie card numbered to just 50 copies recently sold for almost $90.
Higashioka’s playing time and collections continued to increase in subsequent seasons. In 2018, card hounds could find him in all the standard MLB card releases as well as special sets like Topps Archives Signature Series and Topps Finest. Those niche parallels carry added appeal for collectors due to their rarer serial numbering and on-card autographs. For example, a 2018 Topps Finest on-card auto patch card numbered to 10 copies traded hands for nearly $200 last year.
2019 saw another positive step forward for Higashioka as a more regular MLB player and the cards that commemorate his career. That season provided base rookie cards in flagship products as well as special inserts highlighting individual achievements. One such prestigious insert is a 2019 Topps Finest Blue Refractor First Home Run Parallel serial numbered to just 5 copies. Given the pop of hitting his first MLB homer alongside the scarcity, mint versions of this blue refractor auto regularly sell for $300 or more.
The 2020 and 2021 seasons have been some of Higashioka’s most productive to date. He established new career-highs with the Yankees in games played, at-bats, hits, home runs and more. That on-field success translated to more prominent card placements, elevated parallels and a higher profile overall collecting landscape. Probably the crown jewel from recent years is a 2021 Topps Transcendent Collection dual autograph Higashioka card paired with Aaron Judge. Just 10 copies exist and high-grade versions command prices above $1,000.
Looking ahead, Higashioka remains an important part of the Yankees as their primary backup catcher. As long as he continues providing valuable contributions to the team in a backup role behind Sánchez and other stars, his cards should hold collector value proportional to production and play time. Unique serial numbered inserts and autographs from sought-after modern sets like Topps Chrome, Bowman Chrome and Stadium Club provide the highest return on investment currently. With dedicated collectors following along even for more obscure MLB players, the Kyle Higashioka baseball card market appears well-positioned to stay active for years to come.
While Higashioka may never achieve household name status among casual baseball fans, his cards tell an interesting story for collectors. From his earliest pro issues to modern rookies and achievements, the steadily growing portfolio provides opportunities for both investors and fans following a career from the minors to MLB role player. With continued contributions at the major league level, his cardboard memorabilia seems poised to stay relevant within the baseball collecting community for years to come.
