Luis Robert is one of the most exciting young prospects in baseball today. Since making his MLB debut with the Chicago White Sox in 2020, Robert has shown tantalizing five-tool talent that has baseball card collectors excited to invest in his rookie cards. While Robert cards can still be found for reasonable prices, his popularity and production on the field ensure his cards will become more valuable holdings in future years.
Born in Cuba in 1997, Robert first came to the attention of MLB scouts as a teenager for his incredible speed, power, and defensive abilities. Standing 6’3″ and weighing 185 pounds, Robert possesses an ideal frame for generating power while maintaining elite speed. In showcases for international scouts at age 16, Robert was reportedly clocked running the 60-yard dash in 6.4 seconds. His combination of speed, power potential, and strong arm in the outfield made him one of the most prized international free agents on the market.
In 2017, Robert signed with the White Sox for a record-setting $26 million bonus as one of the top international prospects of that year. Scouts were enamored with Robert’s five-tool potential and believe he had superstar caliber abilities if he could put it all together against MLB pitching. Robert began his professional career in the White Sox minor league system in 2018 and immediately began validating the hype with standout minor league performances.
Across three minor league levels in 2018 and 2019, Robert slashed .314/.376/.504 with 32 home runs, 98 RBI, and 38 stolen bases in only 278 total games. He consistently rated among the top prospects in baseball during his time in the minors thanks to impressive all-around tools and consistent production at young ages in full-season leagues. By the end of 2019 season, Robert had proven himself ready for a major league opportunity with the White Sox.
Robert made his MLB debut on July 19, 2020 during the shortened 2020 season. He wasted no time making an impact, launching his first career home run on July 25 off Chicago Cubs reliever Rowan Wick. Robert went on to finish the 2020 season with a .338 batting average, 11 home runs, 31 RBI, and 4 stolen bases in only 51 career games played. His jaw-dropping debut established Robert as an instant star and driving force behind the White Sox’s surprise playoff run.
Robert’s electric rookie season performances immediately skyrocketed the values of his 2019 Bowman Chrome Prospects Autograph Refractors and Chrome Refractors, as well as many of his other notable rookie cards. A PSA 10 gem mint Luis Robert 2019 Bowman Chrome Prospects Autograph Refractor now fetches well over $1,000 raw on the open market. Even high-grade PSA 9 copies can sell for $400-500 each.
In 2021, Robert looked to build upon his breakout rookie season and help lead the White Sox to a division title and deeper playoff run. Unfortunately, a right hip flexor strain limited Robert to only 155 games played in 2021. He still produced with a .339 on-base percentage, 12 home runs, and 56 RBI when healthy. The injury slowed his early-career momentum but showed Robert’s elite bat speed and power when at 100%.
Robert commenced the 2022 MLB season fully healthy after rehabilitation. Through the season’s first month-and-a-half, Robert was off to an incredible start with a .301 batting average, 12 home runs, and 35 RBI in only 47 total games. He was emerging as an early MVP candidate and proving himself a true five-tool superstar as many projected. Then on May 15, 2022, Robert suffered a right ankle sprain that would sideline him for several months.
Despite injury setbacks, Robert’s long-term outlook and prospect pedigree ensure any vintage cards from his early career before establishing as a perennial all-star will retain and increase in value over time. As he gains more MLB experience and a track record of sustained success when healthy, cards like 2019 Topps Chrome Blue Refractors #349, 2018 Bowman Chrome Pros and Prospects Autographs, and 2020 Topps Chrome Rookie Cards #60 will become more valued investments.
The rarer serial-numbered parallels and on-card autographs from Luis Robert’s early releases are already quite valuable. For example, his 2018 Bowman Chrome Pros and Prospects Auto Refractor /25 recently sold on eBay for over $800. As Robert continues to dazzle on the field in future seasons, expect all of his early career cards to further appreciate in value according to the standard collector patterns for MLB players who endure prolonged success.
While maintaining full health remains Robert’s biggest hurdle, his immense talents ensure he will be one of baseball’s top contributors for years to come as long as able to stay on the field. Once he puts together a few complete healthy campaigns while performing at an MVP caliber level as expected, Luis Robert’s entire early card portfolio is poised for huge returns on investment. Even at his current values, Robert’s rookie cards, prospects cards, and parallels remain well worth adding to a long-term collection portfolio.
In summary, Luis Robert’s exciting early MLB career has put some of his rarest cards out of reach already for the average collector. More common Luis Robert rookies and prospects cards can still be acquired today with patience for reasonable prices. With Robert’s immense abilities, there remains massive breakout potential that could see his entire card catalog skyrocket in the coming years. For those who can afford to hold Luis Robert cards long-term, they prove an outstanding investment opportunity into one of baseball’s next superstars.
