Austin Kearns Baseball Card History and Collecting Overview
Austin Kearns had a solid 11-year Major League Baseball career from 2001-2011 playing primarily for the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Indians. While he never achieved superstar status, Kearns was a productive outfielder known for his power hitting and strong throwing arm. Let’s take a look at his baseball card history and collecting opportunities for fans of the former first round draft pick.
Kearns debuted with the Reds in 2001 after being selected 7th overall in the 1998 MLB Draft out of Kecoughtan High School in Virginia. His rookie cards from 2001 Topps, Topps Chrome, and Topps Traded feature him in a Reds uniform with stats from his brief debut season. These are fairly common cards that can still be found inexpensively. Kearns’ rookie season was cut short due to injury but he showed promise, batting .315 with 5 home runs in just 47 games.
In 2002, Kearns broke out with a stellar season batting .291 with 20 home runs and 88 RBI. This established season earned him several notable baseball cards including flagship issues from Topps, Upper Deck, and Fleer. The Topps card shows Kearns launching a home run with a baby blue and red Reds uniform design. Upper Deck opted for a headshot while Fleer featured him rounding the bases. These 2002 Kearns rookie star cards can still be acquired for $5-10 each and capture the moment he announced himself as Cincinnati’s future left fielder.
Kearns continued producing solid offensive numbers for the Reds over the next few seasons. In 2003 Topps, he is depicted batting left-handed with a red bat swinging through the strike zone. Upper Deck that year went with an action photo of Kearns fielding a ball in the outfield. 2004 was another 20 home run season for Kearns and Topps commemorated it with an image of him crossing home plate with teammates celebrating. These common Kearns cards from his early Reds tenure are easily obtainable for collectors.
In 2005, Kearns was featured on the cover of the Topps Total baseball card set along with teammates Adam Dunn, Ken Griffey Jr. and Sean Casey. This prestigious placement signified Kearns’ status as an established star for Cincinnati. The Total set also included an insert card of Kearns swinging with recognizable career stats on the back. Upper Deck that year chose to highlight Kearns’ defense with a diving catch photograph.
After the 2005 season, Kearns was traded to the Washington Nationals where he spent one year before being dealt again to the Cleveland Indians. Kearns cards from 2006-2007 reflect his time with those clubs, though he is more associated with his Reds tenure. In 2008, Kearns signed as a free agent with the New York Yankees but was released during spring training before playing a game for them.
Later in his career from 2009-2011, Kearns bounced around with the Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Rays in a reserve/platoon role. Cards were no longer regularly produced of him during this phase. Still, collectors can find the occasional minor league issue, team set parallel, or insert recognizing Kearns’ past contributions. After retiring in 2011, Kearns has only appeared in alumni/retired player sets since.
In conclusion, Austin Kearns had some productive MLB seasons that make his baseball cards from his Reds years the most collectible and interesting to follow. Rookie and starring issues from 2001-2005 Topps, Upper Deck, and Fleer capture the prime of his career. Kearns never achieved the superstar heights some predicted, but he had a respectable career batting .267 with 117 home runs over 11 seasons. For Reds fans and Kearns collectors, finding his affordable early cards make for a fun collecting challenge and walk down memory lane.