Juan Yepez Baseball Cards: A Rising Star on Cardboards
Juan Yepez may still be a relative newcomer to Major League Baseball, but the young slugger is quickly making his mark on the diamond and in the baseball card industry. Since debuting with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2021, Yepez has shown prodigious power at the plate that is capturing the attention of fans and collectors alike. Let’s take a deeper look at the Juan Yepez baseball cards that are currently available and what the future potentially holds for this rising star on cardboards.
Yepez was originally signed by the Toronto Blue Jays as an international free agent out of Venezuela in 2016. Spending his first few pro seasons in Toronto’s farm system, Yepez started to shine at the plate in 2019 after being traded to the Cardinals organization. That year split between Low-A and High-A ball, Yepez launched 26 home runs with an .886 OPS, establishing himself as a powerful prospect. This breakout season led to Yepez’s first appearance on baseball cards in 2020 with several minor league issue sets.
Bowman Chrome Yellow Refractor /250 from 2020 is one of Yepez’s earliest cards that is highly sought after now. Priced around $100-150 raw on the secondary market currently, this scarce refracted parallel shows the early believer appeal of Yepez as a prospect. Other notable rookie cards from 2020 include issues from Topps Chrome, Bowman Draft, GQ, and Topps Pro Debut celebrating Yepez’s achievements in the minors up to that point. While low print runs, most cards from this period can still be obtained for under $20-30.
Yepez continued mashing in 2021 with 26 home runs total between Double-A and Triple-A, maintaining an OPS above .900. This power surge made him one of the Cardinals’ most hyped prospects entering the season. It was then no surprise when Yepez received his first big league call up in August 2021, appearing in 27 games to finish out the year.
Naturally, Yepez’s MLB debut cards from 2021 gained immense popularity. Topps Chrome Refractor /199, Topps Fire Holofoil, and Gypsy Queen Auto /99 are some notable rookie issue cards that exploded in value after his arrival. While still obtainable, prices have jumped well over $100 for most of these parallel and autograph variations now that Yepez has secured his place in the Show. Even base rookie cards from Update Series, Heritage, Allen & Ginter now routinely sell in the $20-50 range—a steep rise from when they were readily available in packs.
What truly energized Yepez mania however was his scorching postseason performance down the stretch for St. Louis in 2021. Getting regular playing time with several injuries, Yepez smacked 3 home runs in 15 at-bats over 7 playoff games, showing he was unafraid of the big stage. This postseason breakthrough elevated Yepez cards to the highest level, especially those featuring relics or autographs from 2021 playoff issue sets.
Topps Gold Label Auto /10 from ’21 Postseason is about as scarce and prized a Juan Yepez card as exists, recently selling for over $500 in auction. Even base rookies from ’21 Postseason now command 3-4x their previous prices. Yepez cemented himself as a fan favorite and player to watch moving forward with his October heroics, taking his cardboard collectibles to rarified air overnight. It marked a true coming out party and announcement that Yepez had arrived on the biggest stage in baseball.
Entering 2022, Cardinals faithful and collectors alike were anxious to see what Yepez might do with a full season in St. Louis. He got off to a slow start but started heating up in June, slugging 8 homers over 19 games with an .878 OPS. This power surge reinforced that Yepez’s postseason breakout was no fluke, further amplifying demand for his growing collection of base rookie cards and parallels from ’22 flagship products.
Upper Deck Artifact Auto /50 saw exponential price increases after Yepez’s June hot streak, exceeding $300 average sales. Even base Chrome Update rookies jumped up to consistent $50-75 sales. It was clear Yepez hysteria reached a fever pitch amongst collectors chasing any of his new cardboard issues from the season. Any sign of production at the MLB level makes his burgeoning collection that much more alluring and appealing to thegrowing legion of Yepez believers and supporters.
Regrettably, Yepez’s 2022 was cut short by injury in late June, requiring hip surgery that ended his season. While disappointing for on-field performance, the time off has perhaps allowed Yepez mania to quietly simmer among collectors before his anticipated return next year. Many believed Yepez was just starting to tap into his prodigious power potential this season, leaving fans eagerly awaiting his recovery with a huge 2023 still ahead.
Looking toward the future, Yepez’s prospect luster hasn’t faded one bit after a injury-shortened ’22 campaign. If anything, his showing glimpses of excellence at the plate and renowned postseason success thus far have collectors even more excited for his next acts. Yepez cards, especially prized autographed and one-of-one models, figure to remain a white-hot commodity. Any signs of continued production upon returning from injury will send already escalated prices for his growing RC portfolios into the stratosphere.
At just 24 years of age with a physically gifted 6’4″, 250-pound frame custom made for the longball, Juan Yepez seems poised to be a force in the Cardinals’ lineup for years to come. With each additional home run and postseason opportunity, his legend and collectibles appreciation will likely keep growing exponentially. Yepez may have only just begun introducing himself to MLB, but he’s already left an indelible mark on cardboard history as one of the game’s rising young sluggers with some of its most sought after modern baseball cards. Though sidelined temporarily, the best is almost certainly yet to come for Juan Yepez—both on the field and in the cards.
