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Are collectors overlooking Mookie Betts?
If you’re paying close attention to baseball, then you know we’re seeing Mookie Betts at his best. The L.A. Dodgers’ shortstop came out of the gate with all the force of a Kentucky Derby winner, batting .377 with six HRs, eight steals and 25 RBI as April turned to May.
Betts has long had the respect of his peers, baseball analysts and fans. But is the hobby giving him enough props?
His rookie cards and memorabilia generally have been selling well below those of Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani, Ronald Acuna Jr. and Mike Trout. But his fast start is demanding collector attention.
Mookie rookie cards especially are showing heat. Consider the four-figure prices drawn by Refractor variations of his autographed 2014 Bowman Chrome rookie:
• An Orange Refractor Betts rookie soared to $10,116 on 59 bids. It was one of only 25 made and graded BGS 9.
• A Black Refractor sold for $4,250 on 45 bids. One of only 99 made, it carried a BGS 9.5 grade.
• And a “plain” Refractor sold for $2,120 on 34 bids. It was one of 500 made and had a grade of BGS 9.5.
The catalog of Betts 2014 rookies also includes a Heritage card designed after Topps’ classic 1965 set. Its photo gives us a shot of Betts in a classic mid-swing hitting pose, with the bat barrel extended at the viewer. Two recent listings offering that card (both graded PSA 10) drew prices of $350 and $355.
Mookie’s rookie cards, by the way, picture him with the Red Sox. In 2014, he was a top Boston prospect who had three years of minor-league ball under his belt. He would spend most of that 2014 season at the Triple-A level, but he did get two stints with the Red Sox, and he acclimated quickly, batting a robust .291 in 189 at-bats. The next season, in 2015, he would post the same average (.291) in 597 at-bats.
Since then, Betts has batted at least .300 three times (including an MLB-leading .346 in 2018) and at least .290 in three other seasons.
Now 31, Betts has played long enough that his numbers suggest a Hall of Fame path. His lifetime batting average is close to .300, and he’ll finish this season with around 275 homers and 200 steals.
Mookie-signed baseballs are also trending upward, selling for $100 to $350 on eBay. Before the season began, auction prices were typically around $100 on eBay.
But with Betts’ all-world performance, we’ve been seeing Betts-autographed baseballs rising above $200. Two examples in April fetched prices of $345 on 25 bids and $336 on 24 bids. They carried authentication from Fanatics and SGC, respectively.
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