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The Top 10 Juan Soto Rookie Cards To Add To Your Collection

Juan Soto Rookie Cards

Juan Soto has had quite a career. He’s won a World Series, and played in another. He’s won a batting title, led his league in many categories, and had multiple All Star appearances and Silver Slugger awards. He’s piling up career WAR in a way that puts him on many lists of all-time greats.

People are already talking about the Hall of Fame. He’s also just signed the largest contract in sports history, a massive 15 year, $765 million contract. Oh, and he’s only 26 years old and about to enter the traditional “prime” years of his career.

But who is Juan Soto? Why is he having such a moment right now? Does all his success at such a young age suggest future greatness? And what are Juan Soto’s rookie cards, and are they worth chasing?

Find Juan Soto rookie card PSA 10 on ebay

Who is Juan Soto?

From the time he was signed as an amateur out of the Dominican Republic at only 16 years old, Soto showed a knack for the game like few others. In 122 minor league games across 3 minor league seasons covering five minor league levels, he hit 362/.434/.609 with 22 home runs.

In 2018, at the age of 19, Soto made his big league debut and immediately took the league by storm. He hit .292/.406/.517 with 22 home runs in less than 500 at bats. In 2019, he helped lead the Washington Nationals to a World Championship. In the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, he went off, hitting .351/.490/.695 line with an OPS of 1.185 and OPS+ of 217, leading the league in all 5 categories.

After another strong season in 2021, it was clear that Soto was a very special player and likely to make big money when he eventually hit free agency. He turned down a big contract extension from the Nationals, betting on himself. This led the Nationals to eventually trade him to the San Diego Padres at the trade deadline in 2022, and again to the Yankees after the 2023 season.

That 2024 season in New York saw him have another great season, hitting .288/.419/.569 with a career high 41 home runs and lead the Yankees to the World Series. He wrapped up the year by signing the largest contract in sports history with the cross-town New York Mets. His 15 year / $765 million deal proved he made the right call betting on himself.

Despite only just approaching his traditional peak years, Soto has already had his named mentioned as a probable future Hall of Famer. Going into his age 26 season, he’s got a .285/.421  /.532/.953/160 line with 201 career home runs and has been worth 36.4 WAR in his career. The strong start to his career matches that of some all-time greats. It will be exciting to see what he accomplishes over the next decade and a half.

Juan Soto Rookie Cards

What are the best Juan Soto Rookie Cards?

Based on the amazing start this career, the fact that Juan Soto’s rookie cards are valuable and sought-after is no surprise. Soto has prospect and rookie cards across 2016 to 2017. But which are the best? Here are 10 of our favorites.

2018 Topps Triple Threads Juan Soto RC auto #RA-JS

Triple Threads is the unsuccessful Topps attempt to keep up with Panini’s National Treasures. The cards do not have anything like the value of their basketball and football counterparts. Indeed, a Soto card of this rarity and beauty should fetch a far greater price than this one can command. 

Be that as it may, this is a gorgeous card. It will undoubtedly appreciate over time since none of the other Soto rookies have its high-end feel. The card also comes in numbered variations such as gold and green.

For example, the highly desirable Gold variety is numbered to /25. They are valued at far higher prices and are worth looking into if you have the budget. 

Recently Posted PSA 9 Price: $750

Juan Soto Rookie Cards

Find 2018 Topps Triple Threads Juan Soto cards on eBay

2016 Bowman Chrome Juan Soto RC auto #JS

Everyone and their mother wants that Juan Soto Bowman Chrome 1st. And plenty of people have it. That will depress the long-term value of the cards. And who can blame them? The card has a picture of a teenaged Soto looking untested but ready to conquer the world. 

But there are nowhere near as many autos. Therefore, they will likely retain their value in the long run. The main drawback is that the buy-in is steep. However, you may prefer to get some parallels instead. They cost significantly less and should still maintain substantial value. 

Recent Comps For PSA 10: $2,800-$3,100

Juan Soto Rookie Cards

Check out the latest eBay prices of 2016 Bowman Juan Soto

2018 Topps Heritage Real One Juan Soto auto RC #JSO

While not as valuable as the Bowman Chrome auto, in my humble opinion, this auto has more eye appeal. The card features a reflective-looking Soto, sitting on the bench at the All-Star Game. It is a testimonial to those better days when players wore their actual jerseys to the game.

As you can see below, the price is meager for a rookie auto of a star of this caliber. Honestly, it’s a steal and a strange market quirk that these cards sell for so little. You can also find the card in a red ink version, which is limited to /69. 

If you want a more valuable version, consider getting the hatless version. They often sell for triple the regular version. However, the rarer card is less attractive, at least to my eyes. 

Recent Comps For PSA 10: $1,600-$1,800

juan soto 2018 Topps heritage real one

Find Juan Soto 2018 Topps Real One autos on eBay

2018 Bowman Draft Chrome Juan Soto RC #BDC162

If you are more of a refractor person than an auto, Bowman Draft may offer something up your alley. It features a picture of the budding prospect on the basepaths, with a gorgeous explosion of chrome colors in the background. It seems a bit like a Bowman version of a Color Blast card.

That is definitely a good thing. If you like the auto-refractor combo, these cards also come in that variety. In general, the prices for these cards are excellent. 

Juan Soto 2018 Bowman Draft Chrome

Find the Juan Soto 2018 Rookie Bowman Draft card on eBay

2018 Topps Update Juan Soto RC #US300

This card is the “true” Juan Soto rookie card in a flagship product. It is also a mainly classic design, arguably the most appealing design. The perfectly placed RC designation improves the Juan Soto Topps Rookie card. This is not the most valuable card amongst the Soto rookies.

Indeed, it is vastly overprinted, and the value has been dropping steadily for the last two years. However, no personal collection of the outfielder is complete without it. 

Consider springing for the Gatorade Bath short print if you want a more valuable version. The photography is iconic, showing the young star surrounded by a seeming halo of refreshing sports drinks.

Recent Comps For PSA 10: $85

juan soto 2018 topps update

2018 Topps Update Juan Soto cards on ebay

2016 Bowman International Ink Juan Soto #II-JS #5

A remarkable card with historical importance. The International Ink card is a reminder of how far Soto has come from that 16-year-old who was taken as a free agent. The card shows his big smile and reveals the justified confidence the precocious teenager had in his ability.

Absolutely iconic and well worth the high price tag. This one will age the best if you are willing to fork over up to $500 for a Soto card. 

Recent Comps For PSA 10: $375-$500

2016 Bowman Juan Soto International Ink

2016 Bowman Juan Soto International Ink cards on eBay

2017 Bowman Chrome Bowman Scouts’ Top 100 Juan Soto auto #BTP60

I have a weak spot for these top 100 prospects Bowman inserts. Obviously, they are not worth much without an auto. But this slick little number is really jazzed up by Soto’s auto.

It is also a reminder of how underrated this generational talent was, coming in at #60 in these rankings. That alone gives it extraordinary historical value. But with the cards numbered /50, it is also a rare find. So snatch it up if you get the chance. 

No Recent Comps Or Listings Available 

juan soto bowman chrome bowman scouts top 100

Check to see if any 2017 Bowman Chrome Scout’s Top 100 Juan Soto cards are available

2018 Topps Gold Label Framed Juan Soto auto RC #FA-JSO

To my mind, this is the best-designed Juan Soto rookie card of all. The double representation of Soto within the beautiful, framed edges creates a timeless feel. That “legend of the game” look will only be enhanced when Soto is (most likely) selected to Cooperstown. 

The 2018 Gold Label set offered collectors three tiers of cards. It is sort of reminiscent of the way Panini Select has levels of rarity. This card is, of course, at the top level of rarity. Maybe because the brand is not that well known, these cards sell for surprisingly low prices. 

Recent comps raw: $700

Juan Soto Topps Gold Label 2018

Find 2018 Topps Gold Label Juan Soto rookie cards

2018 Panini Flawless Rookie Dual Patch Autographs Ruby Juan Soto RC #RDP-JS

As we all know, unlicensed Panini baseball cards are usually not particularly desirable. But this card has transcended that barrier by its sheer beauty and class. The design is evocative of the best basketball Flawless releases and is a reminder that, license or not, Panini does patch cards a lot better than Topps. 

Recent Comp for an SGC 10/10: $2,000

2018 Panini Flawless Rookie Dual Patch auto ruby Juan Soto

Find eBay listings of 2018 Panini Flawless rookie card of Juan Soto

2018 Topps Dynasty Juan Soto RC Auto Patch #AP-JSO1

You may prefer your RPA’s licensed. Who wouldn’t? The best Topps offering is this one. While we listed a specific one here, there are three varieties marked as #AP-JSO1-03. They are each worth checking out. Each type has a print run of 10, so exclusivity is assured. The last sale price of the 10/10 card was $8,000.

juan soto 2018 topps dynasty auto patch

Find the latest listings of 2018 Topps Dynasty auto patch of Juan Soto

Final thoughts on The Top 10 Juan Soto Rookie Cards

This may not be the best time to buy Soto cards. Between the recent World Series run and the record contract, attention on Soto is at an all-time high. Keep an eye on prices, though, as there are often times during a player’s career when the time to buy may be right. Soto has a long career ahead of him, so you may be able to find some deals at some point.

What’s your take on Juan Soto? What’s your favorite Soto rookie card? And what do you think about his record contract and the future of his cards? Tell us about it at CardLines on Twitter.

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Shaiel Ben-Ephraim

Shaiel Ben-Ephraim

Shaiel Ben-Ephraim is the emeritus editor of Cardlines. He continues to write for several hobby outlets, including this one and Cardbase. He collects primarily vintage baseball and soccer and has a weird obsession with 1971 Topps.

In his spare time, Shaiel is sobbing into his bourbon when the Mets lose and playing Dungeons and Dragons. In a past life, Dr. Ben-Ephraim was a political science professor, journalist, and diplomat. But cards are more fun.

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