Nolan Arenado has established himself as one of the top third basemen in Major League Baseball since making his debut with the Colorado Rockies in 2013. Arenado’s elite defense, prodigious power, and consistent production at the plate have made his baseball cards some of the most sought after on the market in recent years. Let’s take a deeper look at Arenado’s career so far and analyze which of his baseball cards can now be acquired for cheap prices.
Arenado was drafted by the Rockies in the second round of the 2009 MLB Draft out of high school in California. He developed in Colorado’s farm system for a few years before getting his first MLB call up in 2013 at age 22. In his rookie season of 2013, Arenado hit .267 with 10 home runs and 52 RBI in 115 games. That rookie season performance established him as someone to watch, and the very first Arenado baseball cards from 2013 are still reasonably priced today. Some of his affordable rookie cards include 2013 Topps Series 1 and 2013 Topps Series 2, which can commonly be found for under $10 in near mint condition.
The 2014 season was Arenado’s first full year as the Rockies’ everyday third baseman, and he began showing why the position would soon be dubbed “Arenado Corner.” He blasted 35 home runs that season along with 130 RBI and a .287 batting average. This breakout campaign made Arenado’s 2014 cards much hotter investments. More sought after 2014 Arenado rookies include 2014 Topps Update Series, 2014 Panini Prizm, and 2014 Bowman Chrome. Even these cards featuring his breakout season can still be acquired for under $20-30 with diligent searching on the secondary market.
From 2015-2019, Arenado established himself as arguably the best all-around third baseman in baseball. He was named a National League All-Star each season and took home a Gold Glove Award every year from 2013-2021 for his stellar defense. Offensively, Arenado topped 40 home runs and 100 RBI regularly from 2015-2019 as one of the most feared power hitters in the NL. As a result, his base cards from 2015-2019 generally fetch higher prices. With patience one can still find reasonably priced versions of some of these key Arenado cards. For example, 2015 Topps Series 1 and Series 2 regularly sell between $5-10. 2014 Panini Contenders Optic on-card autographs have been available for under $50.
Arenado’s peak from 2015-2019 made cards featuring this dominant stretch his most expensive options on the secondary market. His more recent cards from 2020 and 2021 present affordable entry points for collectors looking to add an MVP-caliber player to their collections. After being traded from Colorado to St. Louis in 2021, Arenado continued his excellence by hitting 34 home runs while batting .293 for the Cardinals in 2022. His first Cardinals cards feature this transition and can offer future investment potential. For example, 2021 Topps Series 2, 2021 Topps Chrome Update, and 2022 Topps Series 1 cards typically sell for $3-5 each in near mint condition.
Despite establishing himself as a perennial All-Star and arguably the best defensive third baseman of his generation, diligent collectors can still find many reasonably priced Nolan Arenado baseball cards from across his career to date. His rookie cards, early Rockies performances, and most recent Cardinals issues all present affordable entry points. With continued high-level production, Arenado’s entire baseball card portfolio has solid long-term holdings potential for value increases. For those looking to add a truly elite player to their collection without breaking the bank, budget-friendly Arenado cards remain attainable with smart shopping on the secondary market.