Steve Avery is one of the most iconic pitchers from the Atlanta Braves dominant run in the 1990s. As one of their key young starters, Avery helped lead the Braves to their first World Series title in 1995. He debuted in the major leagues in 1990 at just 21 years old and immediately made an impact. His rookie season made him one of the more sought after rookie card prospects at the time.
Avery was drafted by the Braves 6th overall in the 1988 MLB Draft out of McLoud High School in Oklahoma. He rose quickly through the Braves farm system, making his MLB debut on September 5, 1990. In that abbreviated rookie season spanning just 8 games and 42 innings, Avery flashed the potential that made him so highly touted. He posted a 3-1 record with a 2.67 ERA and 39 strikeouts. This brief but impressive 1990 cup of coffee made Avery one of the hottest rookie cards on the market that year.
There were a few different Steve Avery rookie cards produced in 1990 by the major card companies:
1990 Fleer: This was Avery’s true rookie card as it was the first card produced of him as a big leaguer. The Fleer set had a print run of just under 600 cards so Avery’s rookies from this set are relatively scarce. Still in high demand by collectors today.
1990 Bowman: Avery also had a rookie in the 1990 Bowman set. Some consider this a “second year” card since he debuted after the Bowman set was already finalized. Still a desirable rookie alternative for collectors.
1990 Score: Score included Avery in their “Topps Debut” subset, highlighting players making their MLB debut during the previous season. These debuted rookies cards remain very collectible.
1990 Donruss: Avery had a standard base card in the 1990 Donruss set as well to round out his true rookie card options from the year.
In 1991, Avery burst onto the scene as a full-time starter with the Braves. In his first full MLB season, the 22-year old lefty went 14-8 with a 2.94 ERA and 169 strikeouts in 196.2 innings pitched. He finished 4th in NL Cy Young voting and helped lead the Braves to their first ever playoff appearance. This breakout season increased interest and demand for Avery’s already scarce 1990 rookie cards.
In 1992, Avery took his game to another level. Posting career bests of 18-8, 2.73 ERA and 209 strikeouts in 243.2 innings as he cemented himself as the Braves ace. He finished 2nd in the 1992 NL Cy Young voting behind teammate Tom Glavine in one of the closest votes in history. Avery was now considered one of the best young pitchers in baseball and his rookie cards from two years prior became extremely valuable.
Injuries would begin to take their toll on Avery starting in 1993. He still managed a solid 13-11, 3.46 record but arm issues cut his season short at just 156.2 innings. The next two years would see Avery miss significant time with various arm injuries, including shoulder surgery in 1995. When healthy though, he was still effective for the Braves. Avery went 9-4 in 1994 before getting hurt and resumed his spot in the rotation for the 1995 season.
In one of the great sports stories, an injured Avery gutted his way through the 1995 NLDS and NLCS to help lead the Braves to their first World Series title over the Indians. He may not have been 100% but proved to be a huge postseason difference maker, going 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA in the playoffs. This cemented Avery’s place in Braves lore and World Championship pedigree added serious prestige and value to his already prized 1990 rookie cards.
Injuries would continue to plague the second half of Avery’s career from 1996 onward. When on the field though, he remained a capable starter and postseason contributor for contending Braves clubs. Avery’s final season came in 2001 at age 32, splitting time between the Cubs and Giants while battling elbow issues. In the end, he finished with a career record of 115-90 along with a 3.82 ERA in 1,668.2 innings spanning 12 MLB seasons entirely in the National League.
For collectors today, Steve Avery’s rookie cards from 1990 remain some of the most iconic and desirable from that year. Given his brief cup of coffee debut, true rookie cards like his Fleer and Bowman issues are extremely scarce. PSA/BGS graded examples of these premium Avery rookies regularly sell for thousands of dollars at auction. Even his common “rookie season” cards from Donruss and Score hold significant collector value because of Avery’s breakout seasons and World Series heroics with the Braves in the early 1990s. Any aficionado of 1990s baseball memorabilia simply must own at least one Steve Avery rookie to properly represent that exciting era. A true ace lefty who battled adversity to cement his place in Atlanta sports lore.
In summary, Steve Avery exploded onto the MLB scene as a phenom rookie in 1990 with the Atlanta Braves. This set the stage for some of the most identifiable and valuable rookie cards of that year. An early career dominated by injuries could not erase Avery’s brilliance when on the mound. He became a postseason legend by gutting through painful wounds to help lead the Braves to the 1995 World Series. This cemented his place in Atlanta sports history and elevated his already prized 1990 rookie cards to the stratosphere. For both collectors and fans of 1990s baseball, a Steve Avery rookie card remains a true symbol of that exciting era.
