Yency Pedro Almonte is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the Colorado Rockies organization. While still relatively early in his professional career, Almonte has shown promise that has translated to a growing collection of collectors seeking his rookie cards. Let’s take an in-depth look at Yency Almonte’s path to professional baseball and analyze the emerging market for his officially licensed baseball cards.
Almonte was signed by the Colorado Rockies as an international free agent in July 2015 out of the Dominican Republic. He made his professional debut that same year, pitching for the Dominican Summer League Rockies. In his first season of professional ball at age 18, Almonte impressed with a 1.80 ERA over 41 innings pitched. He struck out an impressive 57 batters while only walking 9. This breakout debut established Almonte as one to watch in the Rockies farm system.
His standout rookie season translated to his first baseball cards being produced in 2016. Almonte’s rookie card came in 2016 Bowman Draft, featuring his photo in a Rockies uniform from his debut season. While inexpensive initially as a relatively unknown prospect, these early Almonte cards have gained value as his career has progressed. The 2016 Bowman Draft Yency Almonte rookie card can now fetch $10-15 in near mint condition as collectors seek out the earliest documentation of his baseball journey.
Almonte continued his rise up the minor league ranks in 2017 by starting the season at Low-A Asheville Tourists. There, the then 19-year-old flamethrower dominated the competition. In 92 innings pitched across 16 starts, Almonte posted a pristine 1.47 ERA with 104 strikeouts. He allowed just 61 hits and 25 walks. This electric season led to Almonte’s inclusion in sets like 2017 Bowman and 2017 Bowman Sterling, further growing his collecting audience. As a rare find in today’s market, a PSA 10 gem mint copy of Almonte’s base rookie card from 2017 Bowman can sell for over $100.
Riding the momentum from a breakout 2016 debut and stellar 2017 at Low-A, Almonte received a promotion to High-A Lancaster JetHawks for the 2018 season. Though facing stiffer competition, Almonte continued racking up impressive stats. In 99.2 innings across 18 starts and one relief appearance, Almonte notched a 3.11 ERA with 110 strikeouts. He was also stingy allowing hits and walks, giving up just 76 hits and 31 free passes. This standout season was commemorated with cards in sets like 2018 Bowman Sterling Autographs, featuring Almonte’s on-card autograph. These autographed rookie cards have become some of the most coveted and valuable in Almonte’s growing collection.
Due to injuries limiting his 2019 season to just 12.2 innings, Almonte did not receive any new cards that year. However, 2020 saw Almonte bounce back healthier than ever. Splitting time between Double-A Hartford Yard Goats and Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes, Almonte combined for a 2.92 ERA over 45.1 innings pitched with 55 strikeouts. He proved he could succeed against advanced minor league hitting, further cementing his prospect status. This led to Almonte cards in 2020 Bowman Chrome Update and 2020 Topps Pro Debut, keeping collectors engaged. A PSA 10 gem mint copy of Almonte’s 2020 Bowman Chrome Update base rookie card recently sold for $180 online.
By 2021, the expectations on Almonte were rising significantly in the Rockies system. At age 24, he started the season in Triple-A and dominated—compiling a 1.54 ERA over 64 innings in 17 appearances with 86 strikeouts. With his numbers impossible to ignore, Almonte received his first taste of MLB action with the Rockies in September 2021. Across 6 games, Almonte allowed just 3 earned runs in 7.1 innings for a 3.68 ERA. Though a small sample size, it proved Almonte was ready to compete at the highest level. His MLB debut was commemorated with special 2021 Topps Update rookie cards.
While still early in his MLB journey, Almonte looks poised for an increased role on the Rockies pitching staff in 2022 and beyond. His lights-out stuff has continued to play at higher levels, and now baseball card collectors are taking notice too. As one of the Rockies’ top pitching prospects to debut recently, Almonte’s rookie cards are some of the most in-demand on the market for Colorado fans. With another strong season, Almonte’s cards could reach new heights in value as he gains more MLB experience and attention. For investors and collectors alike, staying involved in Yency Almonte’s collection early appears to be a wise decision given his budding career trajectory. There is plenty more for Almonte to accomplish on the field, and collecting milestones along the way promises rewarding returns for those who believed in his potential from the start.
In conclusion, Yency Almonte has steadily developed into one of the more interesting young arms in baseball through exemplary minor league performances. He took an important first step toward realizing his potential with a debut in 2021, leaving collectors excited to track his continued progress at baseball’s highest level. Almonte’s cardboard collecting market seems primed for growth if he solidifies himself as a big league contributor, making his rookie cards a worthwhile long-term investment opportunity for savvy sports collectors. With electric stuff and a strong work ethic, Almonte appears up for any challenge ahead – and collectors along for the ride stand to gain as his success story continues unfolding.