Tom Brady is widely considered one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play in the NFL. While he became a legend on the football field, Brady was also a talented baseball player in his youth. As a result, several Tom Brady baseball cards exist that commemorate his athletic career prior to finding fame in the NFL.
Brady grew up in San Mateo, California and attended Junipero Serra High School. In addition to excelling at football as the starting quarterback, Brady was also a star catcher and center fielder on the baseball team. He held scholarship offers to play both baseball and football in college. In fact, Brady was drafted by the Montreal Expos in the 18th round of the 1995 MLB Draft but ultimately chose to attend the University of Michigan to play football instead.
Despite never appearing in a Major League Baseball game, Brady’s baseball talents as a young player led to a few card releases that are highly collectible today. Some of the more notable Tom Brady baseball cards include:
1996 Bowman Chrome Draft: This insert card features a photo of Brady in a Serra High baseball uniform. It marks one of the earliest cards made since he was drafted by the Expos that year. PSA 10 examples often sell for several hundred dollars considering Brady’s eventual NFL fame.
2000 SP Authentic Rookie/Baseball Card: This is one of Brady’s true rookie cards from his high school baseball days. It pictures him batting right-handed with stats from his Serra High career. Higher graded versions fetch over $1,000 due to the card’s iconic status as a Brady baseball rookie.
2000 Topps Chrome Draft Pick Prospects Autograph: A short printed insert set featuring autographed MLB draft picks, this Brady card carries his signature from his Expos drafting year. It provides one of the few authenticated Brady signatures from his baseball playing days. PSA/BEMA 10 Gem Mint slabs regularly sell for well over $10,000.
2002 Bowman Chrome Draft Picks Baseball Relic: This card includes a swatch of Brady’s authentic high school baseball jersey, making it one of the select relic cards in existence featuring Brady memorabilia from the sport. The jersey swatch adds significant value given Brady’s later NFL accomplishments. Ungraded examples sell for thousands.
2004 Topps Tribute Patch Autograph: As part of Topps’ “Football pays tribute to baseball” insert set, this 1/1 unique card shows Brady in Patriots uniform with a distressed on-card jersey patch autograph. It stands out as the lone 1/1 Brady patch card recognizing his dual-sport background. Worth over $20,000 when it hits the market.
Interestingly, despite focusing solely on his football career, Brady has mentioned in interviews throughout his NFL tenure that he still loves baseball and stays engaged with the sport. He even hosts an annual celebrity softball game fundraiser called “Tom vs. Time” where former MLB players participate.
This history has kept Brady’s baseball cards highly relevant for collectors interested in his entire athletic story. While quantities are limited given his unrealized MLB career path, the rarity and Brady’s folklore as a multi-talented athlete continue to drive enthusiast demand and significant prices for his baseball card portfolio. As his NFL legend grows, so too does collecting interest in artifacts from Brady’s origins as a touted two-sport high school star over 25 years ago.
