Aaron Nola has established himself as one of baseball’s premier pitchers since making his MLB debut in 2015. As his success on the field has grown, so too has the value and interest in Aaron Nola baseball cards from collectors. Let’s take an in-depth look at some of the key Nola cards that exist in the hobby.
Nola was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies 7th overall in the 2014 MLB Draft out of LSU. That year, Panini produced Aaron Nola’s first baseball cards as part of their 2014 Prizm Draft Picks set. These short printed rookie cards now sell for $10-15 in near mint condition. While not overly valuable on their own, they were Nola’s first appearance in the card hobby.
In 2015, Nola made his MLB debut for the Phillies at the end of the season, making 6 appearances. That year, Topps included Nola in their 2015 Topps Series 2 baseball card set. This served as Nola’s true rookie card from Topps and the flagship product collectors seek. In a PSA 10 gem mint condition, the 2015 Topps Aaron Nola rookie card currently sells for $80-100. Even in PSA 9 near mint condition, the cards still fetch $30-40 showing the card’s strong demand.
Nola broke out as a full time starter for the Phillies in 2016. That season, he won 11 games and posted a 3.24 ERA over 31 starts. The breakout campaign led to Nola receiving prominent cards in the 2016 Topps Series 2, Topps Chrome, and Bowman Chrome sets. The Topps Chrome rookie refractors have become some of Nola’s most sought after cards by collectors. Graded PSA 10 examples can sell for over $300 due to the card’s low print run and refractors parallel.
In 2017, Nola took his game to an even higher level. He won a career high 12 games and lowered his ERA to 2.97 over 30 starts. Nola’s ascension that year is best highlighted by his 2017 Topps Flagship card. The base rookie cards still hold value at $15-20, while the short printed parallels like gold and red foils command over $100 graded gem mint. Nola also received an autograph card in 2017 Topps Chrome Update & Highlights that has sold for upwards of $500 with his signature.
Nola continued pitching like an ace for the Phillies in 2018 when he won 17 games, struck out 224 batters, and finished third in NL Cy Young voting. The standout season led to some of Nola’s most valuable modern cards. His 2018 Topps Update Series autograph parallel /50 pulled in over $1,000 at auction. The 2018 Topps Chrome Update & Highlights Refractor /99 sold for $700. Even base rookies from 2018 Topps Series 1 hold steady around $25-30 showing Nola’s entrenched star power.
In 2019, Nola took another step with a career best 2.37 ERA over 34 starts and finished seventh in Cy Young voting. The dominance translated to strong memorabilia card values. His 2019 Topps Fire autograph patch card /25 reached $900. The 2019 Topps Chrome Update & Highlights Refractor Auto /99 also sold for $650. Even the common base cards from 2019 Topps Series 1 and Topps Chrome held value at $15-20 underscoring Nola’s staying popularity.
Nola continued his ace caliber pitching with the Phillies in the shortened 2020 season. On the card front, Topps released Aaron Nola’s first ever 1/1 printing plate material card as part of their 2020 Topps Chrome Update set. The ultra rare plate card fetched $1,500 at auction. Nola also received autographs and memorabilia cards in 2020 Topps Series 2, Topps Chrome Update, and Topps Transcendent selling from $300-700 each.
In 2021, Nola signed a long term contract extension to remain in Philadelphia, cementing his status as a franchise cornerstone. Topps honored this by including Nola for the sixth straight year in their flagship 2021 Topps Series 1 set. The cards hold steady demand at $15-20. Nola also received popular autograph and memorabilia cards from 2021 Topps Chrome Update and 2021 Topps Transcendent selling from $300-600 each.
As Aaron Nola continues producing at an ace level for the Phillies, his baseball cards remain a strong investment for collectors. From his early rookie cards to modern parallels and autographs, Nola cards hold or gain value yearly. As one of baseball’s true workhorse starters, Nola has staying power in the hobby. With multiple All Star appearances and Cy Young consideration still possible, Aaron Nola’s collecting legacy is still being written.