A highly-touted, exciting young player bursts onto the scene late in the season and gives his team a boost that helps drive them through the playoffs to a championship. It’s tough to get a more exciting story line, or start to one’s career, than that.
That was Evan Carter of the Texas Rangers in 2023. But who is Evan Carter? How did we get to the storybook playoff run, and what does the future hold for the young slugger? And what are the best baseball cards of World Champion Evan Carter?
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Evan Carter was selected with the 50th overall pick in the 2nd round of the 2020 MLB Amateur draft by the Texas Rangers. Carter did not appear on the MLB pre-draft top 200 or Baseball American top 500 pre-draft prospect list before being drafted.
Despite this, after an injury-shortened 2021 season, Carter rocketed through the Rangers minor league system. He hit .295/.397/.489 in 2022 with 12 home runs in 106 games across two minor league levels. In 2023 he hit .288/.413/.450 with 13 home runs in 108 games before making his big league debut on September 8, 2023.
Despite being barely 21 years old, Carter performed admirably in his first taste of the big leagues. In 75 plate appearances across 23 games, he hit .306/.413/.645 with 5 HR, 12 RBI, and 3 stolen bases. Carter and the Rangers were just getting started, however, and Carter hit .300/.417/.500 across 17 games as he helped the Rangers win their first-ever World Championship. His 9 doubles in the postseason set a record.
The start of Evan Carter’s major league career couldn’t have gone much better, and he’ll go into 2024 as a leading American League Rookie of the Year candidate.
Carter ranks #8 on the MLB Top 100 Prospects list entering 2024. Carter is a strong hitter, runs well, and plays Gold Glove-caliber defense in the outfield. While he does strike out more often than would be ideal, he’s a promising young player that many fans are very excited about.
According to the Trading Card Database (TCDB.com), Evan Carter has appeared on 824 cards in his short career. His 1st Bowman cards appeared the year he was drafted. His rookie cards will be part of 2024 products, including 2024 Topps Series 1.
When a player has over 800 cards, any top 5 list will be by definition subjective and incomplete. I focused on the 1st Bowman offers, but know that there are many other options out there. These include unlicensed sets like Leaf and Panini.
There are 2021, 2022, and 2023 prospect cards from Bowman, Topps, and the unlicensed brands. And of course, being ultra-modern cards, there is a rainbow of parallel versions available that offer increasing levels of rarity and higher price points.
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The base paper 2020 Bowman Draft Evan Carter card is the lowest-priced card on our list. The overall PSA population remains quite low, although it will surely grow over time if Carter lives up to his potential.
The percentage of PSA 10s makes up 77% of the total population, and in that grade, the card will cost between $50 and $70.
The 2020 Bowman Draft 1st Edition card of Evan Carter has only been graded 25 times by PSA. If you can find one of the PSA 10s, expect to pay $90-100 for it.
While that price is far from astronomical, one wonders if there may be an opportunity here for breaking and grading (on an inexpensive special) in hopes of finding your own PSA 10.
The premium chromium 2020 Bowman Draft Chrome is likely to be one of the more sought-after Carter cards should he continue to perform at a high level. It also has the highest PSA population on the list.
While that number currently sits below 350, that will likely grow significantly higher. Keep an eye on the PSA count before purchasing.
Prices appear to be on the rise, with prices ranging from $75 to $180, but moving towards the upper part of that range.
Adding a sapphire sparkle to the chromium, the 2020 Bowman Draft Sapphire card has a total PSA population under 200 and recent comps have been between $130-190. An interesting option if you’re looking for a “premium base” offering.
The 1st Bowman Autographed card is often THE card of a modern play to own, and that is true of Carter and his 2020 Bowman Draft Chrome Draft Autograph card.
The card has been graded roughly 300, with lower than 50% of those in a PSA 10 slab. In a PSA 10 slab, these have been selling for between $300 and $440. If you’re a big believer in Carter, this is the key card to get.
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| Card | Total PSA Pop | Recent Sale Pop | Recent Sale Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Bowman Draft Evan Carter #BD-126 | 132 | PSA 10 = 102 | PSA 10 = $50-70 |
| 2020 Bowman Draft 1st Edition Evan Carter #BD-126 | 25 | PSA 10 = 16 | PSA 10 = $90-100 |
| 2020 Bowman Draft Chrome Evan Carter #BD-126 | 346 | PSA 10 = 227 | PSA 10 = $75-180 |
| 2020 Bowman Draft Sapphire Edition Evan Carter #BD-126 | 196 | PSA 10 = 146 | PSA 10 = $130-190 |
| 2020 Bowman Draft Chrome Draft Pick Autographs Evan Carter #CDA-EC | 299 | PSA 10 = 133 | PSA 10 = $300-440 |
So, Evan Carter is an exciting young player on the cusp of the big leagues. But are his cards a good investment? I wish I had a definitive answer for you, but as you well know, prospects are tough.
Some become icons, like Ken Griffey Jr. or Joe Mauer. Others flame out and break your heart.
What I can say is this – few players have performed as well as Carter did in his first taste of the big leagues, and the spotlight of the playoffs. While his cards are far from inexpensive, there may be room for growth if Carter avoids a sophomore slump and continues to play at a high level.
If you think Carter is the real deal, there’s still time to buy in before the season starts and others catch on.
Shop for Evan Carter 1st Bowman cards on eBay
2024 will bring Evan Carter’s first full major league season, as well as his rookie cards. But he’s already made his mark on the league and has several interesting cards worth chasing.
What’s your take on Evan Carter? What’s your favorite Carter card? Tell us about it at card_lines on Twitter.
Shop for Evan Carter baseball cards on eBay
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