The Hobby’s Biggest Star?
Shohei Ohtani is not just a baseball player; he’s a phenomenon whose abilities transcend the sport and make him a celebrity worldwide. His dual-threat capability – dominating both on the mound and at the plate – has turned him into a global icon. Still in his prime and now playing for one of the game’s most popular and successful franchises, his collectability is unprecedented in the Modern Era of the hobby.
As Ohtani’s legend grows, so does the value of his trading cards. Topps recently announced a long-term global trading card partnership with Ohtani, the cultural bridge between the U.S. and the international baseball market, particularly in Asia.
With a career boasting 200-plus home runs and a sub-3.00 ERA as a pitcher, Ohtani’s accomplishments are downright Ruthian. In 2024, he’s set to make more history. On August 23, his walk-off grand slam made him the sixth player in MLB history to join the 40-40 club in homers and steals. And it put him on track to have the game’s first-ever 50/50 season. He’s the odds-on favorite to win his third MVP award, something only 11 others have accomplished.
Ohtani already was the first player in MLB history to record double-digit pitching wins and hit more than 30 home runs in the same season. An elbow injury prevented him from taking the mound in 2024, but he’s set to return to the pitching rubber in 2025.
“International demand on Shohei cards only serves to drive the secondary market value higher and higher,” says Peter Keeling, owner of Bodega Cards in Jersey City, NJ. “Prices for his autographed and game-used-cards have skyrocketed over the last few years.”
Another historic season in 2024 will likely add to this surge.
“(A third) MVP for Ohtani will only increase the value of his cards and drive demand in products,” Keeling adds. “Topps has done a really great job marketing his accomplishments, specifically with the MVP buyback program in their Chrome release. If Shohei wins MVP this year, his base cards are now worth $20 store credit, driving traffic to local hobby shops like Bodega.”
Collectors and investors in cards want players who are so unique that the mark they make on the sport will be indelible. Basketball had that with Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and now LeBron James. In football, Tom Brady’s seven Super Bowl wins are likely never to be repeated. In Ohtani, Baseball has a player whose ability to start an All-Star game as both a pitcher and a hitter were never witnessed before and probably won’t be again.
“Shohei is such a great ambassador for the sport. The demand for his cards historically is on par with some of the GOATs,” Keeling said of the Greatest of All Timers. “I wouldn’t put Shohei into the GOAT category just yet. I’d like to see him with some team accomplishments, a World Series or two (for the Dodgers). As a shop owner, I’m constantly skeptical about players selling for more than Kobe or MJ (Jordan). But with Shohei, I’m confident in keeping his inventory and that his cards will maintain or gain in the years to come.”
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