The 2019 Topps Baseball card set featured some of the most valuable modern rookie cards and veteran star cards. While the design was polarizing with fans, the set featured rookies and veterans that have led to record prices being paid for certain cards on the secondary market over the past couple years. Let’s take an in-depth look at some of the most valuable and expensive cards from the 2019 Topps Baseball release.
Heading the list is the prized rookie card of Juan Soto from the Washington Nationals. Soto exploded on the MLB scene in 2018 at just 19 years old, batting .292 with 22 home runs and 70 RBI in only 116 games. His 2019 Topps Base card (#334) has become one of the most iconic and recognizable modern rookie cards. Fresh PSA 10 Gem Mint copies of the Soto base card have eclipsed $1,000 and tend to sell in the $750-950 range consistently. His paper /499 parallel rookie cards also command big money, with the Gold parallel (#/50) reaching $2,500 PSA 10. The Soto rainbow foil parallel (#/25) has even topped $5,000 in pristine condition.
Another overwhelming rookie presence from 2019 Topps was Eloy Jimenez of the Chicago White Sox. While he didn’t have Soto’s inaugural campaign, Jimenez was one of MLB’s top prospects and didn’t disappoint in his full 2019 season with the Sox. His base rookie card (#209) also reaches $1,000+ in PSA 10 and has sold for as much as $1,250. Low numbered parallels also hold value, with the Sapphire parallel (#/50) hitting $2,000 in Gem Mint and the Gold parallel (#/10) reaching north of $3,000 PSA 10. Jimenez’s cards remain strong with believers in his continued breakout potential.
Speaking of big time prospects, the prized rookie card of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays commands huge prices despite a slightly disappointing starting MLB career so far. His is one of the most iconic rookie cards from any set in recent years due to his legendarybloodline. In pristine PSA 10 condition, his Topps base rookie (#377) has sold for as much as $2,000 in auction. The lower print parallels also carry premier values, such as over $3,000 for the Gold parallel (#/50) and $5,000+ for the extremely rare Black parallel (#/5) in Gem Mint 10. Vladdy Jr. remains one to watch and his card prices could surge higher if he develops into the superstar many foresee.
Meanwhile, the cards of established veterans who continued producing at elite levels also gained immense popularity and value from 2019 Topps. Chief among them is Christian Yelich, who was coming off an NL MVP campaign in 2018 only to follow it up by winning the batting title in 2019 as well. The Milwaukee Brewer’s base card (#99) enjoys a strong $350-500 PSA 10 market. But his most desired issue has become the rainbow foil parallel (#/25), with two recent PSA 10 sales eclipsing $2,500 each. It’s clear Yelich mania is in full effect card-wise after back-to-back breakout seasons.
Another clean-shaven veteran star who caught fire card-price wise was Cody Bellinger of the Los Angeles Dodgers. In addition to defending his NL Rookie of the Year crown in 2018, Bellinger one-upped things in 2019 by being named NL MVP. Not surprisingly, his Topps base issue (#43) finds the $400-600 range in pristine PSA 10 condition. Similar to Yelich, Bellinger’s most sought parallel has become the ultra-short print rainbow foil (#/25), with a recent PSA 10 bringing nearly $3,000. With many predicting continued stardom for the Dodgers’ young outfielder, Bellinger and his cards maintain scorching value in the collecting world.
Rounding out the high-dollar favorites from 2019 Topps are a couple of living legends who keep defying Father Time on the field—and collectors in the marketplace. Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels remains perhaps the most coveted name in the hobby. His base issue (#32) steadily trades hands for $350-$500 in PSA 10. But the trophy cards reside in his parallels, such as $2,000+ for the Gold (#/50) and over $5,000 achieved for the Black parallel (#/5) when pristine. Trout as the sport’s pre-eminent player is shown in the premium prices people gladly pay to add him to their collections.
One cannot ignore perhaps the greatest of all time, who like Trout showed in 2019 he’s still capable of performing at an otherworldly level deep into his late 30s—Los Angeles Dodgers Piazza Ave. icon Clayton Kershaw. The lefty reaffirmed his legend status with another top-three Cy Young season and led L.A. to a pennant. Accordingly, his flagship Topps issue (#253) now calls $500-650 home in perfect condition. But the real gems—and financial commitments required—lie within his parallels. Recent sales of a PSA 10 Gold parallel (#/50) reached $2,500, with his Black parallel (#/5) astonishingly trading at $7,500. Collectors remain in awe and wish to commemorate Kershaw’s genius through his premium cards.
The 2019 Topps baseball release provided an intriguing bounty of modern rookie phenoms and established veterans who continued producing at the highest levels. Cards of Juan Soto, Eloy Jimenez, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Christian Yelich, Cody Bellinger, Mike Trout and Clayton Kershaw in particular have led the most expensive listings within the set over the past couple years. With these players’ careers unfolding in real time and additional accomplishments adding to their legend, the financial commitment required is a tribute to collectors’ desire to stake claim to documenting some of the best performers in today’s national pastime through their prestigious cardboard.
