MVPs and Hobby Heroes: Ohtani and Judge Cards Stay on Top

Back-to-Back MVPs Continue to Lead The Hobby

They’ve done it again. Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge have both repeated as MVP, deservedly taking home the trophies for the fourth and third time, respectively. Both Hobby superstars are part of this year’s MVP Buyback program, giving collectors the opportunity to restock and reload by sending in 2025 Topps Chrome cards of the game’s best players. Topps has also announced a premium 2025 Topps MLB MVP collection featuring the two winners.

In the days since taking the awards were announced, The Hobby has responded with fierce interest in the two stars. Let’s take a look.

Ohtani Reaches New Heights

Plenty has been written about Shohei Ohtani’s domination of the modern Hobby, but on the heels of his fourth MVP award, it really does bear repeating. One need only look at his cards since he won the NL MVP on November 13 to see the effect.

At writing, Card Ladder has registered 491 Ohtani sales of $1,000 or more since he won his fourth MVP. Judge accounts for 107. To be clear, over a hundred four-figure sales of Judge cards is still a sign of strength, but Ohtani’s figures underscore the meteoric heights he’s gone to.

This PSA 10 2018 Chrome RC Auto, numbered to /99, sold through Fanatics Premier for $50,400 on November 16, along with a slew of other high-end Ohtani offerings. Card Ladder’s previous sale of this card at this grade came in June 2022, when the card fetched $3,960. The first sale registered came in March 2020 for just over $400.

This 2018 Bowman RC Auto illustrates the incredible state of the Ohtani market in the days since his most recent MVP win. The PSA 10 sold for $156,000 on November 21. In May, the same card with the same grade sold for $81,000. In late October 2024, it went for $45,600.

This 2024 Topps Definitive 1-of-1 is the top sale, at writing, of Ohtani cards since his 2025 MVP win, going for $312,000. Again, Ohtani’s strength in The Hobby is on display at the very top end. He’s recorded 11 sales over $50,000 since winning his fourth MVP, as well as six sales of at least $100,000.

There are many driving factors in Ohtani’s Hobby superstardom, from his global popularity and increasingly singular legacy to the way he impacts every level of the game. The amount that the MVP contributes in all facets, his unprecedented impact on winning, and his place at the head of the well-stocked two-time defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers all combine to make him one of the most exciting modern athletes for collectors to chase.

The Judge Presides Over The American League

Since 2021, at least one of Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani has taken home an MVP award. Last week, they became the first players to both repeat in the same two year span in their respective leagues. Judge himself is making a case to end up as the greatest right-handed hitter the sport has ever seen.

The consistency is staggering: If Judge plays 150 or more games, you’re almost certainly getting 50 or more home runs. Like Ohtani, he’s also the leader of a perennial contender, which only expands his hold on The Hobby.

This 2017 Topps Heritage Red Ink Real One RC Auto shows the excitement around Judge in The Hobby following his MVP win. Numbered to 68, this BGS 9.5 version of the card sold for $16,200, twice as much as the last sale registered on Card Ladder from August 2024. A Blue Ink Real One RC Auto from the same set sold for $8,400 on the same day.

At writing, the biggest Aaron Judge sale in the aftermath of his 2025 MVP win was for this 2017 Topps Dynasty Patch Auto. Limited to only ten copies, this BGS 10 sold for $20,400 through Fanatics Premier.

Judge’s 2013 Bowman Chrome cards are among his most pursued. This BGS 9.5 version of his Chrome Draft Pick Auto card sold for $4,560 on November 16.

With his third MVP award, Aaron Judge joins a truly elite club, including the likes of Mantle and Bonds. Just as Ohtani did last year, Judge will be getting a 3x MVP Club release, which will include dual auto cards of Judge alongside other three-timers.

Kurtz is Coming

Rookie phenom Nick Kurtz ran away with the 2025 AL Rookie of the Year award, receiving all 30 first-place votes. If you’re looking for a player who may eventually wrest the MVP away from Judge, Kurtz should be in the conversation. With 36 Home Runs, 86 RBI, and an OPS of 1.002 in only 117 games played, Kurtz follows in Judge’s footsteps, who won the ROY himself in 2017.

Of course, by winning the Rookie of the Year Award, Kurtz’s role in the Bowman Red Rookie Redemption program increases. Kurtz’s Red RC’s are now eligible for redemption, as are those of 2025 NL ROY winner Drake Baldwin of the Atlanta Braves.

MVP Collector FAQs

• How has Shohei Ohtani’s fourth MVP impacted his Hobby status?
  • Ohtani’s fourth MVP has charged demand for his key rookie autos, especially 2018 Topps Chrome and Bowman Chrome Refractors, with multiple sales in the five and six-figure range.
• What are the most important Shohei Ohtani Topps and Bowman cards right now?
  • Collectors often focus on his 2018 Topps Chrome Rookie Autos, especially numbered Refractors, and his 2018 Bowman Chrome autos. Premium low-numbered parallels and on-card autos in later high-end releases remain core chase cards for serious Ohtani collectors.
• How did Aaron Judge’s third MVP affect collector interest in his cards?
  • Judge’s third MVP cements him as one of the premier long-term stars of the modern Hobby. Key cards like his 2013 Bowman Chrome autos, 2017 Heritage Real One autos, and high-end patch autos have seen spikes in interest and sales since he won the award.
• Why is Nick Hurtz important to collectors?
  • Nick Kurtz is the 2025 AL Rookie of the Year, putting up elite power numbers in a partial season. His performance, age, and Rookie of the Year award have pushed his 2024 Bowman Draft Chrome autos, especially numbered parallels, into early cornerstone status for collectors.
• What is the 2025 Topps Chrome MVP Buyback program?
  • The MVP Buyback program allows collectors to trade in eligible 2025 Topps Chrome cards of MVP winners like Ohtani and Judge at participating hobby shops for store credit. It gives collectors a way to recycle base cards and parallels into fresh product and chase cards.

Key Facts

• Ohtani and Judge have repeated as MVPs, earning their fourth and third awards
• 2025 Topps Chrome MVP Buyback gives collectors a way to trade in MVP cards for credit
• The 2025 Topps MLB MVP Collection spotlights both winners in a premium format
• Nick Kurtz won AL Rookie of the Year unanimously and is quickly becoming a key Bowman Chrome chase

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