
With Major League Baseball in a lockout, ESPN.com decided to heat the hot stove season by releasing their Top 100 MLB Players of All Time. We thought it would be fun to provide you with the ultimate guide to investing in ESPN’s Top 100 MLB Players.
Here are the rankings: 100-51 | 50-26 | 25-1
Overall, I think it’s a pretty good list. These things are very subjective, of course. Nevertheless, the list feels directionally correct with lots of room for debate, which is as it should be.
The list got us thinking here at Cardlines: what is the investment outlook for cards of these players? We have to break the players into categories to make sense of these opportunities. The good news is that this is a fairly organic process.
Not surprisingly, many players are Hall of Famers, now deceased. In most cases, these players played many years ago, and their card value is pretty locked in and stable. The prices will move based on the overall card market but are unlikely to have a substantial upside outside of that general movement.
The Lockdown bubble saw vintage cards spike with cards from all eras, and prices were rising from pre-2020. Where the public market goes from here will be interesting to see, for sure. Regardless, the players’ cards on this list are the cream of the crop of pre-and-post war vintage, and far safer investments than most cards, even if price increases are gradual and incremental.
1. Babe Ruth 3. Hank Aaron 4. Ty Cobb 5. Ted Williams 6. Lou Gehrig 7. Mickey Mantle 9. Walter Johnson 10. Stan Musial 12. Honus Wagner 16. Joe DiMaggio | 19. Frank Robinson 20. Rogers Hornsby 21. Cy Young 22. Tom Seaver 25. Christy Mathewson 27. Roberto Clemente 35. Josh Gibson 36. Tris Speaker 37. Joe Morgan 38. Jackie Robinson 39. Yogi Berra | 40. Jimmie Foxx 41. Satchel Paige 47. Warren Spahn 48. Nap Lajoie 50. Bob Feller 51. Ernie Banks 53. Oscar Charleston 54. Lefty Grove 57. Pete Alexander 60. Whitey Ford 62. Mel Ott64. Eddie Mathews | 70. Harmon Killebrew 71. Al Kaline 73. Willie McCovey 76. Cap Anson 79. Hank Greenberg 82. Eddie Collins 83. Roy Campanella 88. Willie Stargell 92. Roy Halladay 95. Duke Snider 96. Charlie Gehringer |
The one possible exception on this list is number 92, Roy Halladay.
Halladay only retired in 2013 and tragically passed away in a plane crash in 2017 before becoming eligible for the Hall of Fame and being elected in his first year of eligibility in 2019.
As time passes and Halladay’s legacy continues to be examined, his cards have a chance for additional upward movement. His induction is far from a sure thing, but there is a chance it will occur.
Halladay’s rookie cards appear in 1997 Bowman releases.
Year/Set | Total PSA Pop | Recent Sale Pop | Recent Sale Price |
1997 Bowman #308 Roy Halladay | 602 | PSA 9 = 266 | PSA 9 = $70 |
1997 Bowman Chrome #212 Roy Halladay | 832 | PSA 10 = 142 | PSA 10 = $1,000 |
1997 Bowman Chrome – Refractors #212 | 61 | PSA 10 = 0 | PSA 10 = NA |
1997 Bowman’s Best #134 Roy Halladay | 837 | PSA 10 = 391 | PSA 10 = $75-100 |
The list includes many living Hall Of Famers. These living legends include players who debuted as far back as the 1940s (Mays) and 1950s (Koufax, Robinson) right through the junk wax era of the late ’80s and early ’90s.
2. Willie Mays 11. Pedro Martinez | 33. Bob Gibson 42. Nolan Ryan 43. George Brett 44. Tony Gwynn 45. Wade Boggs 49. Frank Thomas 55. Reggie Jackson 56. Dave Winfield 58. Steve Carlton 61. Carl Yastrzemski | 63. David Ortiz 66. Cal Ripken Jr. 67. Brooks Robinson 69. Ozzie Smith 74. Juan Marichal 75. Rod Carew 77. Vladimir Guerrero 78. Chipper Jones 80. Robin Yount 81. Mike Piazza | 84. Paul Molitor 85. Jim Palmer 86. Roberto Alomar 87. Carlton Fisk 90. Ivan Rodriguez 91. Ryne Sandberg 93. John Smoltz 98. Jim Thome 99. Phil Niekro 100. Barry Larkin |
In most cases, these players’ card value is reasonably well set. However, players do generally see a price bump when they pass away, with a solid temporary bump followed by a “new normal” that is just a tick above prior prices.
David Ortiz, also elected, is part of the class of 2022. So you can expect his cards to see a bit of a bump around induction weekend in July. We recently explored Ortiz’s cards and the 2022 Hall of Fame results.
This group is the smallest one, but it has an intriguing upside. These players are retired but not yet eligible for the Hall of Fame.
46. Ichiro Suzuki 97. Adrian Beltre |
Adrian Beltre becomes eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2024. Ichiro follows him to the ballot in 2025. Both should be elected in their first year of eligibility.
While neither’s election will surprise people, they will likely see a slight bump in prices around the announced election results and the induction ceremony.
Beltre’s rookie cards appear in the 1997 Bowman sets, while Ichiro’s appear in 2001.
Year/Set | Total PSA Pop | Recent Sale Pop | Recent Sale Price |
1997 Bowman #194 Adrian Beltre | 1,093 | PSA 10 = 122 | PSA 10 = $1,400 |
1997 Bowman Chrome #182 Adrian Beltre | 3,044 | PSA 10 = 895 | PSA 10 = $500-550 |
1997 Bowman’s Best #117 Adrian Beltre | 1,880 | PSA 10 = 917 | PSA 10 = $125-175 |
1997 Bowman Chrome – Refractors #182 | 214 | PSA 10 = 8 | PSA 10 = NA |
The next group is also retired and not yet in the Hall of Fame. However, the storyline is not nearly as optimistic as Beltre and Ichiro with many part of the PED era.
8. Barry Bonds 17. Roger Clemens 26. Alex Rodriguez 34. Pete Rose 68. Manny Ramirez 89. Joe Jackson |
Rose and Jackson were famously banned for gambling and rendered ineligible for the Hall of Fame. As a result, neither’s card has much upside. Sadly Rose’s cards will likely see a bit of a bump when he passes away. This is a grim reality, but news drives demand and prices.
As for Bonds, Clemens, Arod, and Ramirez all have Hall of Fame numbers but also have the cloud of association with PEDs hanging over their heads. We just explored these and other PED users on Cardlines.
The final grouping of players is those who have not yet hung up their cleats. But, despite that, they are already amongst the all-time greatest. Think about that for a minute. We’re watching all-time greatest right now. So enjoy it while you can. And get ready to tell the grandkids!
15. Mike Trout 30. Albert Pujols 52. Clayton Kershaw 59. Miguel Cabrera 65. Max Scherzer 72. Justin Verlander 94. Bryce Harper |
Pujols is 42 years old and whether he continues his career in 2022 is undecided as of this writing. Miguel Cabrera is 38, and his best years are behind him. Trout, meanwhile, is only 30 years old. But, as we covered in Future Hall-Of-Famer Cards: Sure Thing Hitters, all three will make the Hall of Fame when they become eligible.
Kershaw, Scherzer, and Verlander are all getting older, but all still appear to have more in the tank and should add to their resumes in 2022. As explored in Future Hall-Of-Famer Pitcher Cards: Sure Things, all three will also be Cooperstown bound five years after they retire.
Check out the link articles for more on the investment outlook for these players, although generally speaking, there is an upside in all cases.
Harper is a fantastic player but a somewhat questionable pick (I’d have gone with Mookie Betts). While Harper is on the Hall of Fame path, he still has more work to do before he’s a lock for election.
If you think Harper will finish his career strong and erase any doubts, there is investment upside
Year/Set | Total PSA Pop | Recent Sale Pop | Recent Sale Price |
2011 Bowman Chrome Prospects # BCP1 | 2,510 | PSA 10 = 988 | PSA 10 = $100-170 |
The ESPN 100 is a good list and a great distraction during the cold months before baseball season. It also allows us a chance to look for investing opportunities. Even among the most outstanding 100 players, there is sometimes an upside to be found.
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