The 1989 Topps Baseball Card Traded Set was the 22nd iteration of Topps’ popular traded set series which featured traded, released, and rookie cards not included in the main flagship set. The 1989 traded set contained 150 total cards and featured many notable players who were integral parts of their respective teams’ fortunes during the 1989 season.
Some of the huge trades that took place prior to the 1989 season resulted in several key players finding themselves on new teams. This motivated Topps to produce the traded set to give collectors the chance to obtain cards of these players in their new uniforms. Future Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan was one such player, getting traded from the Astros to the Rangers in December 1988 after posting a 4.22 ERA in 34 starts for Houston in ’88. His traded card in the ’89 set depicts him in his first season with Texas, where he would go 16-10 with a 3.44 ERA and 222 strikeouts in 232.1 innings pitched.
Another future Hall of Famer traded before the 1989 season was Rickey Henderson. After leading the Majors with 126 runs and stealing 66 bases for the Oakland A’s in 1988, Henderson was surprisingly dealt to the New York Yankees on December 7, 1988. His card in the ’89 traded set shows him admiring his new Yankees uniform, poised to terrorize American League pitchers for the powerhouse Bronx Bombers. Henderson would go on to steal 74 bases and hit 16 home runs for the ’89 World Series champion Yankees in his first season in pinstripes.
While Nolan Ryan and Rickey Henderson headlined the trades section of the ’89 set, several up-and-coming young stars also found new homes in deals prior to the 1989 season. One of the most intriguing prospects on the move was third baseman Chris Sabo, who was dealt from the Reds to the Reds in a six-player trade in December 1988. Sabo’s strong 1987 and 1988 rookie campaigns saw him hit a combined .284 with 35 home runs and 175 RBI for Cincinnati, establishing him as a future cornerstone. His traded card depicts his disappointment at leaving the Reds, foreshadowing a bounce-back 1989 where he hit .278 with 20 homers and 86 RBI for the Reds.
In addition to traded players, the 1989 Topps Traded set also included the usual assortment of rookies and additional action shots not found in the Flagship release. Some of the top prospect cards included Ken Griffey Jr. of the Mariners, Chuck Knoblauch of the Twins, and Gregg Olson of the Orioles. Ken Griffey Jr.’s stellar rookie campaign which saw him hit .264 with 16 home runs and 47 RBI in just 108 games made his card one of the set’s most coveted rookie cards. Other notable rookie inclusions were Darrin Jackson (Pirates), Mike Benjamin (Pirates), and Chris James (Reds).
In terms of additional action shots not in the base set, the ’89 Traded set provided cards of veteran sluggers like Darryl Strawberry (.277-25-79 for the Dodgers), Andre Dawson (.247-27-77 for the Cubs), and Ryne Sandberg (.259-20-68 for the Cubs). Each player enjoyed excellent seasons power-wise in ’89 and their Traded cards captured iconic photos showcasing their talent. The cards of newly-extended Dodgers ace Orel Hershiser and Cardinals hard-throwing reliever Lee Smith also rounded out the collection nicely.
When it came to production and design, the 1989 Topps Traded set utilized the familiar black-backed cardboard stock and vertical photo style of the flaghip release. Each card proudly displayed the stylized “Topps Traded” logo at the top and featured vibrant team colors and uniforms. The set checklist was neatly organized by American League teams first, then National League in alphabetical order by city. As with all Topps products of the late 1980s, design elements were simple yet appealing to collectors. Gum was also included within each sealed wax pack.
Upon release in July 1989, the Topps Traded set was immensely popular with collectors both young and old. Featuring many of baseball’s biggest stars and finest prospects in their new threads after trades and callups, the set captured the intrigue of the season perfectly. Today, the ’89 Topps Traded set remains a highly collected vintage release. Key cards like the rookies of Griffey Jr., Knoblauch, and Olson along with traded gems of Ryan, Henderson, and Sabo retain strong demand and valuation in the hobby. The set stands as one of the premier traded releases from Topps’ rich baseball card history.
The 1989 Topps Traded Baseball Card set was a fantastic supplemental product that gave collectors 150 extra cards to complete their rosters for the upcoming season. Featuring many of the biggest names exchanged in blockbuster trades as well as some of the game’s top young prospects, the set provided invaluable cardboard to document baseball’s changing landscape. With excellent production values and design befitting the late 1980s Topps aesthetic, the 1989 Traded set remains a much-cherished piece of collectibles memorabilia from the hobby’s vintage era.
