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With teams inching towards the halfway point of their 162 games and the heat of the summer blazing down, the MLB regular season is in full swing.
Tons of baseball’s biggest stars and up-and-comers have been killing it so far, and have even put their names in the conversation for some prestigious individual awards.
For the coveted Most Valuable Player award, there’s some familiar faces leading the pack right now. Both Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani, reigning MVPs for the AL and NL, are odds-on favorites to go back-to-back and win the award this year.
With both of these guys racing towards the chance to bring home some hardware, they’re also competing to etch their names into the MLB history books. Before they become award-winners again and further cement their legacies, let’s take a look at some of their most expensive cards!
Most Expensive Aaron Judge Card – $161,300
Judge, who’s in his 10th year in the MLB, has already had a very impressive career. The outfielder was drafted out of Fresno State in the first round of the 2013 MLB Draft by the New York Yankees. Since then, he won Rookie of the Year in 2017, has been a six-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger and has won MVP twice.
Despite typically being known for his power at the plate, Judge has been making headlines throughout this season for his batting average, as he was hitting over .400 up until a few weeks ago. However, he’s still killing the ball. Right now, he’s hitting .378 with 26 home runs and 60 RBIs. Those numbers put him on pace for the fourth 50-home run of his career, something only Babe Ruth, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa have accomplished. The 33-year-old seems to be a lock to bring home his third MVP award in four seasons, as he’s currently listed as a -20000 favorite.
This 2013 Bowman Chrome Draft Superfractor Autograph sold for $161,300 in a Goldin sale from July of 2020, and with all Judge has accomplished since then, it’s sure to be worth even more right now. It’s a one-of-one and it’s Judge’s first ever MLB autograph card, a pretty good combination. Its Beckett scores of 9.5 Gem Mint for the card and perfect 10 for the autograph help tie it together.
Most Expensive Shohei Ohtani Card – $1,067,500
Since signing with the Los Angeles Angels back in 2018, Ohtani has been in the spotlight. After making the decision to leave the Nippon Professional Baseball league in Japan and come to the MLB, the two-way player hasn’t had to deal with much of a learning curve. Ohtani won Rookie of the Year in 2018, two Silver Slugger awards and two MVPs during his time with the Angels. Last year, he inked a 10-year contract worth $700 million with the Los Angeles Dodgers. In his first season with his new team, he added another Silver Slugger and MVP award to his long list of accolades.
At the start of his career, Ohtani was heralded as one of the best two-way players of all-time, but Tommy John surgery has held him back from pitching since September of 2023. Luckily for Dodgers fans, this hasn’t impacted his performance at the plate. As a designated hitter, Ohtani has picked up right where he left off, hitting .297 and becoming the first player to reach 20 home runs this season. If he’s able to hold strong in the MVP race, it’d be good for his third-straight year winning the award. Ohtani would be the second player in MLB history to do so, with Barry Bonds being the first, as he won four straight MVPs from 2001-2004.
Ohtani’s most expensive card ever sold was this one-of-one Topps Dynasty Black Logoman card, purchased for over $1 million right here on Heritage Auctions. It was part of a Topps 50-50 set that was made in honor of Ohtani recording the first 50-home run and 50-stolen bases season in MLB history. The card features a patch taken from the pants Ohtani was wearing when he hit his 50th homer and swiped his 50th bag, as well as a golden signature that stands out against the black background.
If you want to read more about Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani cards, check out this story on our Ludex blog.
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