The 2020 rookie class in Major League Baseball featured many highly touted prospects making their debuts and beginning their careers. While the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the baseball season and some rookies didn’t play as much as expected, several standouts emerged that captured the attention of both fans and collectors. Their rookie cards have taken off in the collecting hobby. Let’s take an in-depth look at some of the top rookie cards from the 2020 baseball season.
Wander Franco, SS, Tampa Bay Rays (#1 Prospect): Widely considered the number one prospect in all of baseball entering 2020, Franco only had an brief five-game cameo in the majors but still made a huge splash. The toolsy shortstop showed why he is such a special talent, hitting .571 with a 1.286 OPS in his small cup. Franco is still just 19 years old and likely to get regular playing time in 2021. His prizm and optic rookies have already eclipsed the $100 mark and have substantial upside as his career progresses. With his five-tool skillset and incredible patience and contact ability for his age, Franco is poised for superstardom and his cards could end up being the most valuable of this entire class.
Devin Williams, RP, Milwaukee Brewers: One of the biggest surprises of 2020 was Williams emerging as perhaps the single best reliever in baseball. In just 27 innings, he posted an absolutely filthy 0.33 ERA and 0.450 WHIP with 53 strikeouts. Williams possesses perhaps the nastiest changeup seen from a reliever in years, with batters hitting just .090 against it. His dominance has carried over to the card market, where Williams bowman chrome and topps chrome rookies routinely sell for $50-75. As a reliever with such an unusual and effective pitch, Williams has a good chance to maintain value for years even if his ERA regresses somewhat going forward.
Luis Robert, OF, Chicago White Sox (#1 Prospect): After making his debut late in 2019, Robert had a full season to show off his five-tool abilities in 2020 for the White Sox. He didn’t quite live up to the astronomical hype with a .233 average and 432 OPS+, but Robert still flashed 20/20 potential with 11 homers and 12 steals in 56 games. Originally a highly sought after top prospect, Robert’s cards took a slight hit but are still solid holds. As a potential perennial all-star, his prizm, topps chrome, and bowman paper rookies should rise back over $50-75 range if Robert puts it all together in 2021.
James Karinchak, RP, Cleveland Indians: With 100 mph gas and a nasty curveball, Karinchak immediately made an impact in Cleveland’s bullpen in 2020 with a 2.67 ERA and 53 K’s in just 27 innings. His stuff is simply electric and batters hit just .156 against him. Karinchak emerged as a star in the hobby as well with his topps chrome rookie regularly fetching $75-100. As one of the elite flamethrowers in the game, Karinchak’s cards will hold value as long as he keeps missing bats in a late-inning relief role.
Sean Reid-Foley, SP/RP, Toronto Blue Jays: Despite posting middling stats, Reid-Foley’s rookie cards have surprised collectors. The flamethrowing righty showed swing-and-miss stuff in 21 innings with Toronto, and intriguingly, was still just 24 in his rookie season. Reid-Foley has a projectable 6’4 frame and with development could start in the future. His bowman paper rookies from 2015 have popped in price to $75-150 range recently, likely on speculation of a breakout in 2021. Reid-Foley is still largely an unknown quantity but with elite stuff and youth, he remains an interesting prospect play.
Andrew Vaughn, 1B, Chicago White Sox (#3 Prospect): After being drafted third overall in 2019, Vaughn mashed in the minors and earned a September callup. He hit .235 with 2 homers in 21 games but showed polished hitting skills and absurd college power. As a right-handed hitting first baseman, Vaughn faces an uphill battle to live up to lofty expectations at the MLB level. His topps chrome and bowman chrome rookies are solid holds around $25-50 if Vaughn can adapt to major league pitching. His cards still carry prospect sheen despite realistic concerns about his long-term profile.
Bo Bichette, SS, Toronto Blue Jays: Bichette technically had his rookie season in 2019 but still remained largely affordable with many upside in 2020. The slick-fielding shortstop had a breakout campaign, hitting .301 with 5 homers in 56 games. Bichette solidified himself as a core piece for the Jays going forward. His paper rookies rocketed up to $50-100 now as one of the most exciting young bats in baseball. Still just 23, Bichette looks primed for many all-star seasons ahead and his cards may have some room left to appreciate further.
Gavin Lux, 2B/OF, Los Angeles Dodgers (#2 Prospect in 2018): Lux made his MLB debut in 2019 but 2020 was his first full season. While he hit just .175 in 56 games, Lux showed promise with 7 homers, 17 runs, and 4 steals. At just 23 in a loaded Dodgers lineup, Lux will get every chance to develop into a core player. His 2018 bowman paper rookies remain affordable around $20-30 and are a nice upside play given Lux’s pedigree and young age. With a breakout, Lux cards could easily 3-5x in value.
Garrett Crochet, SP/RP, Chicago White Sox (#11 Overall Pick in 2020): A hard-throwing lefty drafted out of Tennessee, Crochet immediately captivated with his stuff in the low minors before a callup. He showed nerves of steel against MLB hitters in 6 shutout innings. Crochet’s first bowman paper can be found for under $10 still and will be a popular hold long-term. At just 22 years old, he has frontline starter upside if he can harness his explosive 100 mph heater. Crochet could end up being a true steal for the White Sox.
While the COVID year made full evaluations difficult, this rookie class delivered several stars like Franco, Williams, Robert, and Karinchak. Many others like Bichette, Lux, Reid-Foley, and Crochet have established themselves as core prospects to follow. This class features a nice mix of impact 2020 performers and upside plays for the future. Savvy collectors would be wise to hold several of these rookie cards long-term as many have legitimate All-Star potential.
