Baseball collectibles have been around almost as long as baseball itself. And with some players reaching stratospheric heights in the sport, so do their collectibles. And with a few modern greats still playing in the Major League, the million-dollar collectible club might have their new entrants set and ready to go.
While several collectibles are on the market, some are more ‘collectible’ than others. The stars of Major League Baseball have a much higher value attached to them than most others. And that club just got a little bigger.
La Angels Stars Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani Join the Exclusive Club
With two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani and star slugger Mike Trout featuring on their roster, the LA Angels is a star-studded team. Despite the team underperforming on the diamond, the players remain much-valued by the rest of the League. The two stars were recently pictured together holding the autographed cards of the superstars.
Mike Trout took to posting the picture on his own social media with the caption, “A Troutani “Signature” moment we’ll never forget.” The tweet features the two stars holding up their autographed cards up to the camera along with Ohtani’s interpreter pictured in frame.
A Troutani “signature” moment we’ll never forget 😬 pic.twitter.com/PKZViAR20U
— Mike Trout (@MikeTrout) August 9, 2023
Meanwhile, the card features a picture from the World Baseball Classic with both the superstars pictured in frame. Ohtani on the mound, and Trout hoping he can get the ball to pop past the fences.
The card could definitely be a high value proposition joining several other prominent stars like LeBron James and Patrick Mahomes in value.
Sure enough, fans were quick to take notice of the post and react to several social media handles. And it doesn’t seem like a moment that we will forget too soon, either. But the true test of a collectible will be how much someone would pay for it.
How Valuable Could a Shohei Ohtani Baseball Card Be?
Shohei Ohtani is a player baseball has simply never seen before. While his batting output remains top tier in MLB, the star’s pitching performance is not to be scoffed at. With elite performances from the mound and home plate, Ohtani is certainly one of the greatest to play the game.
Ever since 2018 when he debuted, the player’s stock has been on the rise. Racking up an AL MVP performance in 2021, the star has only continued to deliver. And even despite his lack of post-season success, he remains a fan favorite. Needless to say, his card will undoubtedly be one that will be sought after.
Most expensive card by category:
1. Baseball ($12.6M, Mantle)
2. Pokémon ($5.275M, Pikachu)
3. Basketball ($5.2M, LeBron)
4. Football ($4.3M, Mahomes)
5. Hockey ($3.75M, Gretzky)
6. Magic ($2.6M, The One Ring) ⬆️
7. Soccer ($1.3M, Péle) ⬇️
8. Formula 1 ($900k, Hamilton) ⬇️
9.… pic.twitter.com/cpyLDRhXBn— The Collectibles Guru 🧠 (@ericwhiteback) August 2, 2023
According to a recent tweet, it was reported that a Mickey Mantle card has been valued as high as $12 Million. And while Ohtani is a fair distance off the star in term of his reputation in Major League, it wouldn’t be ludicrous to assume that he could rival the Bronx legend by the time he retires.
While the future remains uncertain and the value of the card can never truly be ascertained, one thing can surely be said: Ohtani is one for the future.
