Dylan Bundy is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels. Since making his Major League Baseball debut in 2011, Bundy has established himself as one of the more interesting young pitching prospects over the past decade. As a result, Bundy’s baseball cards have captured the attention of collectors looking to invest in the potential of a talented arm.
Bundy was considered one of the top pitching prospects in baseball when he was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles with the fourth overall pick in the 2011 MLB Draft out of Owasso High School in Oklahoma. Scouts were impressed with Bundy’s mid-90s fastball and sharp breaking pitches at a young age. He quickly rose through the Orioles system, making his MLB debut in 2012 as a 19-year-old. Bundy’s prospect status led to some valuable early baseball cards.
One of Bundy’s most sought-after rookie cards is his 2012 Topps Heritage Minor League card. Topps Heritage captures the classic design aesthetic of cards from the 1950s and 1960s. Bundy’s smooth mechanics and baby face made him a prime candidate for the retro-style design. With a printing of only 99 copies and Bundy’s top prospect pedigree at the time, PSA 10 gem mint examples of this card recently sold for over $1,000.
Bundy’s official MLB rookie card came in 2013 Topps. Like most Topps flagship cards, it captured an action shot from Bundy’s debut season in Baltimore. While common in most sets at around $10-15 raw, high-grade versions with perfect centering have climbed up near $100 due to Bundy’s name recognition and status as a former top pick. His 2013 Bowman Chrome Prospect card also gained value since Bundy was still considered one of baseball’s brightest young arms.
Injuries slowed Bundy’s career progression starting in 2014. Elbow troubles led to Tommy John surgery and a long road back. But collectors still saw potential and his cards held value. One of his scarcest from this time is the 2014 Topps Heritage Minor League Variation card, with an even rarer printing than the 2012 version. Just a handful are known to exist, making it a true key card in any Bundy collection.
Bundy started to regain his form in 2018 after bouncing between the minors and majors in previous seasons. He posted a career-best ERA and started to flash the potential that made him a hyped prospect years earlier. This resurgence was reflected in the rising prices of his rookie cards and earlier prospect issues as hope for Bundy’s career was restored. Even common cards saw new interest from collectors taking a chance on his revival.
In 2019, Bundy agreed to a multi-year contract extension with Baltimore, providing stability in what had been an injury-plagued career. He continued improving that season and looked like he might finally be realizing some of the potential that once made him such a blue-chip pitching prospect. This solidified his status as a collection-worthy player and kept attention high on his vintage cards at the time.
After being traded to the Los Angeles Angels ahead of the 2021 season, Bundy enjoyed the best year of his career to date. He posted career bests in wins, ERA, strikeouts and WHIP while making his first All-Star team. This breakout season at age 28 reaffirmed there was still promise in Bundy’s powerful right arm. As a result, his cards, especially those from his early prospect days, gained renewed interest from a new wave of collectors.
Bundy’s mix of high-profile prospect pedigree, injury history, ups and downs, and recent success make him a fascinating player to follow both on the field and in the baseball card market. For collectors, his rookie cards and earlier prospect issues offer a relatively inexpensive way to invest in the potential of a talented arm who may still have more to prove. Even if Bundy’s career peaks have passed, his story and the intrigue surrounding his cards will continue engaging collectors for years to come.