Top 5 2021 Baseball Card Investments To Make Some Extra Cash
Disclaimer: I am not a financial advisor and am not an “expert” when it comes to investing in sports cards. Invest in these cards at your own risk.
This year has been an interesting one to say the least, yet through such a tumultuous time with many unexpected events, thankfully we still managed some normalcy with our beloved sports. With an influx of extra time, many of us picked up new hobbies while others found their way back to ones of old. One, in particular, that has seen a revitalization in 2020 is baseball card collecting.
Having collected baseball cards for many years myself, ever since I was a young kid, I have learned and been through a lot in the hobby. I’ve seen it go from a local card shop experience, to online case breaking, which turned the whole collecting world on its head.
This has brought more of a “gambling” aspect into baseball card collecting, and has created a new fantasy sport of its own. People have gone from chasing autographs and jersey cards of their favorite players, to simply wanting base and color rookies. Gone are the days of kid-centered $3 packs as we usher in this new phase of investment-based collecting.
As surprising as it may be this new age of collecting has given many people, like me, a new sense of hope about the direction of collecting sports cards again.
Many older collectors, who have been out of collecting for ten plus years, are now back and enjoying baseball cards more than ever. Investors from across the world are grading (sending cards to professionals to get them inspected, evaluated and placed in a sealed case) their cards in order to potentially make large returns. These people are also buying cards of individuals, either graded or ungraded, in hopes of great performance to in-turn flip their investment to make a short-term profit. The sports card market is extremely volatile and changes overnight, which is what has people so excited. Your $20 card can turn into a $60 card in a matter of minutes, which in my opinion is so cool!
Here are your top 5 baseball card investments heading into 2021:
5. Jasson Dominguez, OF New York Yankees
This switch hitting and five tool star 17 year old is a can’t miss prospect and looks to be an extremely valuable card investment looking towards the future.
While Dominguez won’t be hitting the field in New York for a year or two, his professional career will commence in 2021 and he will garner a ton of hype throughout the entire year. From all reports and videos I have seen, this kid has a huge presence about him and absolutely smashes the baseball with his silky smooth swing. When mixing in the superstar potential Dominguez has and the fact he will be playing in the biggest market in baseball, I would recommend opening another tab and picking up a few of his PSA 10 cards before you can’t anymore.
Dominguez’ 2020 Bowman paper 1st edition baseball card is selling for around $65 as of 12/21/2020. Prices will vary depending on differing variations/brands but all Dominguez cards look to me like a great investment currently and an amazing return looking years into the future. Get in on his Bowman Chrome variation PSA 10 of this card if you are more of a high-roller looking for a higher ROI.
4. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 3B Toronto Blue Jays
Guerrero has had a disappointing first 700 at bats in the majors, but I have confidence in him turning things around. There was a ton of hype for him coming into the league and I believe that weighed on him a little.
Blue Jays skipper Charlie Montoyo has come out recently voicing his confidence in the 21 year old, and I agree. There is so much raw hitting talent in this kid and he has the superstar potential that card investors are looking for. Guerrero rookie cards are a low-risk, medium-reward investment looking towards the future, but definitely have the ability to move up drastically in the short term as well. I will be investing in his 2019 Topps Chrome rookie cards PSA 10 in that $50-$70 range and am hoping to see an increase of up to $100+ per card in the first month of the season depending on performance. I see a steady incline in his card prices for years to come with this perennial all-star talent.
3. Yoan Moncada, 3B Chicago White Sox
The White Sox are a young and exciting team, in fact, they ended the season as Off The Bench’s number 1 MLBtv team to watch. With their star-studded roster consisting of Tim Anderson, Luis Robert, AL MVP Jose Abreu, Yoan Moncada, a solid pitching rotation plus newly acquired Lance Lynn, and a top-tier farm system, the White Sox will not only be competitive this year, but for many years to come.
The Sox surprised everyone in the shortened 2020 season by finishing just one game out of winning the AL Central and proved that the rebuild may be finishing earlier than expected. Building off of last year, I truly see a World Series contending team in Chicago this year if they manage to add a few more pieces to this exciting roster.
In seeing the game transition from the older generation players such as Miguel Cabrera and Albert Pujols, to a new young and exciting league headlined by flashiness and swag, Moncada seems poised for a breakout season and rapid card price increase in 2021. I foresee Moncada cementing himself within the top 20 players in baseball this year, and possibly has the highest return on investment on his baseball card in the MLB by the end of 2021. I recommend getting in cheap on his cards now and sitting on his baseball card until the postseason or even further into the future.
This is Moncada’s 2017 Topps Chrome rookie card and it currently sells for around $35-$50 as of 12/21/2020.
2. Juan Soto, OF Washington Nationals
The 22 year old left fielder has shown flashes of greatness dating back to his rookie campaign in 2018, and even helped lead the Nationals to a 2019 World Series Championship in his second year. Through 154 at-bats in 2020, Juan Soto had a .351 batting average with 54 total hits, 14 doubles, 13 homeruns, 37 RBIs, and only 28 strikeouts.
We can expect big things from Soto in 2021, and therefore can expect a great increase in baseball card prices. His prices currently hover around $200 for his 2018 Topps Update rookie and I would almost bet the house that it will increase as the hype of the upcoming season continues to manifest. A little bit higher buy in there, but all-in-all, a very safe investment.
Ronald Acuna Jr., OF Atlanta Braves
With Ronald Acuna, I see immense growth potential comparable to that of superstar shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. in 2020. Currently, Acuna’s Bowman Chrome 2017 prospect card is sitting around $300 in the PSA 10 version. Although that may seem a bit high compared to come of the other cards on this list, it is about as low as you will see it from now on. Looking back on Tatis’ Bowman Chrome prospect cards around this time last year, his baseball cards were very comparable to where Acuna’s are at right now. Currently, Tatis’s PSA 10 2016 Bowman Chrome cards have more than doubled since and are selling in that $600-$750 range. That is a massive increase and will only continue to rise as the season gets going. I see Acuna as a major breakout star this year and potentially leading the Braves past the Dodgers for the NL crown. Get in now on the Acuna 2017 Bowman Chrome cards before it is too late!
There you have it, the best baseball card investments for the 2021 season. These are not the only investments that have potential in 2021, but just the ones that I currently feel are the best opportunities to invest in. They are by no means guaranteed homeruns, but rather add to the anticipation and excitement of the year ahead. The upcoming season looks to be one of the most exciting seasons yet and the hobby will only continue getting hotter and hotter as baseball approaches and the players, fans, collectors, and investors alike begin to get back into the swing of things!
