The year 2020 brought many unprecedented events and changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the baseball card hobby was no exception. With the lack of in-person card shows and conventions, interest in collecting grew substantially as a safe socially-distanced hobby that many could enjoy from home. This surge in interest led to record prices being paid for some of the top rookie cards from the 2020 season as collectors looked to buy up emerging stars.
Heading into the shortened 2020 season, most experts predicted the rookie cards of Giants outfielder Joey Bart, Mariners outfielder Jarred Kelenic, and Rays infielder Vidal Brujan would be highly sought after by collectors. While all three played in fewer than 20 MLB games, their prospect pedigree and long-term upside made their rookie cards valuable even before they established themselves in the big leagues.
Bart was the #2 overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft and was expected to take over as the Giants everyday catcher in 2020 before the season was delayed. His Topps Chrome Refractor rookie card became one of the most expensive cards from 2020, routinely selling for over $1000 each. An SGC-graded 10 Bart Topps Chrome gem mint rookie recently sold for a record $6,000, showing how much potential collectors see in him becoming a star.
Kelenic was acquired by Seattle in the infamous Robinson Cano-Edwin Diaz trade and entered 2020 as MLB.com’s #11 overall prospect. His Bowman Chrome Prospect card paralleled Bart’s success, with PSA 10 examples topping $1500 each and a BGS 9.5 popping for $3,200. Kelenic made his big league debut in 2021 and has proven worthy of the hype, making his cards perhaps the top long-term investment from the class.
Though he only had 28 MLB at-bats in 2020, Brujan’s prospect status as Tampa’s #2 ranked player had collectors taking notice of his rookie offerings as well. BGS-graded 9.5 Brujan Bowman Chrome Prospects moved for $1000-1500 each, showing belief he can develop into an impact player. Still just 23, Brujan became the everyday 2nd baseman in 2022 and his stock continues rising.
While the top prospects dominated conversation, the established veterans like Mike Trout, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Ronald Acuña Jr. still commanded top dollar for their latest cards too. Trout’s 2018 Topps Update Auto SP brought $2400, underlining his status as the game’s best player. Tatis proved in 2019 he was a future superstar and his 2018 Bowman Chrome Prospect auto refractors traded at $2600 each on average last year. Acuña’s electric play made any new certified auto of his priority, with BGS 9.5 2018 Topps chrome autos selling at $1600 apiece.
Rookies like Alec Bohm, Luis Robert, and Dylan Carlson also gained traction. Bohm’s prospect pedigree and strong MLB debut series in 2020 led PSA 10 Topps Chrome rookies to sell around $500 each. Robert’s five-tool talent was displayed in his debut 2021 campaign and Bowman Chromer refractor rookies in PSA 10 holders brought $350. Carlson got extended playing time after joining the Cardinals and his Topps Chrome rookie auto refractor in a BGS 9.5 holder traded hands for $1000.
Veterans having breakout seasons additionally received collector attention. Marcell Ozuna led theNL in homers and Hits in 2020. His Topps Fire Independence Day auto in a PSA 10 earned $600. Braves’ starter Max Fried had a Cy Young caliber season going 5-0 with a 1.96 ERA over 11 starts. His Topps Chrome auto refractor from 2018 reached $650, a career-high price for Fried. Even Steve Cohen’s new arrival as owner added intrigue to Mets cards. Topps Chrome refractor rookie cards of Pete Alonso $400 in PSA 10 and Michael Conforto $250 showed support for the homegrown stars on the newly cash-infused team.
Although the baseball season was unusual in 2020, the corresponding card market flourished with so many new collectors looking for engaging ways to connect to the sport from home. The sustained demand brought record returns for the latest autos and rookies of emerging future stars while also boosting values of established veterans. With another championship-caliber season unfolding in 2021 and fans slowly returning to ballparks, the baseball card frenzy showed no signs of slowing in its resurgence as a beloved American hobby.
