As the crack of bats heralds the onset of another Major League Baseball season, collectors and investors alike have their eyes peeled for those often-overlooked treasures—the baseball cards poised to appreciate in value. Just as the hopes of every franchise blossom with Spring Training’s onset, hopes for spotting the next big star are at an all-time high. If you’re looking to make savvy investments that could blossom alongside players’ careers, consider these four emerging stars whose cards are currently under the radar.
First on the roster is Brandon Pfaadt of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Now, listen up baseball aficionados and card enthusiasts alike, because Pfaadt may not have the stats that leap off the page at you, but sometimes the quietest players make the most noise. With a career ERA of 5.06, the numbers might initially suggest a middle-of-the-road pitcher. But delve a bit deeper – get out your magnifying glass, Sherlock – and you’ll notice promising underlying metrics from 2024. A 4.71 ERA twinned with a significantly mightier 3.78 xERA and a svelte 3.61 FIP tell a story of potential quietly bubbling beneath the surface. Pfaadt manages to blend zone-pounding precision with strikeout magic, sporting metrics of 9.04 K/9. His current card values? As shockingly affordable as the late-night infomercial “WOW” guy’s favorite gadget. Consider diving into the 2023 Topps Chrome or the charmingly inexpensive 2020 Bowman Draft for future gains amid what could be a breakout season.
Turn your kaleidoscope east, and Jared Jones of the Pittsburgh Pirates comes into focus. Pittsburgh is famed for its youthful charm, and Jones is an integral thread in its pitching tapestry. Emerging from being another face in the crowd, Jones stands ready to break the chains of anonymity. His promising 2024 season displayed a 4.14 ERA that merely hinted at his 4.05 xERA potential. Those numbers ride shotgun with an impressive 9.7 K/9, showcasing Jones’ growing command. His recently expanded pitching repertoire, thanks to Spring Training innovations, has introduced an effective two-seamer that aligns with his fastball and slider – a sweet symphony of pitches if you will. The ludicrousity of his card prices is poetry to aspiring investors. A Topps Chrome Rookie Auto /499 selling for a paltry $30? Invest before this card jumps like a kid being offered free candy.
Sailing over to the Baltimore Orioles, we encounter an underdog tale worthy of Hollywood in Heston Kjerstad. In the shadows of Baltimore chat rooms and farm system assessments, Kjerstad is one to watch. Don’t let his lack of major-league time deter you. Down in the minors, Kjerstad wreaked happy havoc with a .303/.401/.584 line, complemented by 16 homers – not bad for a guy who could soon be stepping up to the plate in Baltimore. For collectors, it’s as if every card carries a little Heston magic, waiting to be unwrapped, much like your Aunt Edna’s annual fruitcake gift, only this one might yield treasure. Snagging a Bowman Chrome Rookie Gold Refractor Auto /50 PSA 10 for $150 seems a meager investment for a player ready to shine bright in big-league lights.
Finally, there’s Kerry Carpenter of the Detroit Tigers, who might be underrated but by no means underpowered. Tucked within Carpenter’s sleeves is raw power akin to that of a summer storm. Across 236 MLB games, he’s clocked 44 home runs – talk about supplying Detroit with fireworks. Yes, 2024 came with its bumps in the road—or back, in Carpenter’s case—but with 18 homers in just 87 games, the power sagas go on. Imagine Carpenter in Detroit’s lineup, thriving under stars like Gleyber Torres — the opportunities for RBIs are as plentiful as mint juleps in the deep South. Investment-wise, his card market is a bargain hunt at its finest. Opt for the 2023 Topps Chrome Rookie Card or the vibrant Aqua Wave Auto /199 PSA-graded. It might be smarter than hoarding toilet paper in 2020.
These four players might just be on the brink of stardom’s gentle embrace with the 2025 season stretching wide open before them. To the seasoned card collector and the rookie investor, seeing such latent potential amidst undervalued price tags is a mouth-watering prospect. Imagine being the visionary who saw greatness in a league of ordinary. So, get your pre-2025 investments ready. Rally your resources, because investing in these hidden gems might just turn out to be your best slugfest of the season. The time to act, dear investors, is now.
