In the bustling world of baseball card collecting, the grading trends serve as a vibrant tapestry, painting a vivid picture of the players who have captured the hearts of collectors far and wide. As we delve into the first ten months of the illustrious year 2024, one name shines brighter than the rest – Elly De La Cruz. With an impressive total of 93,194 graded cards by November 4, De La Cruz emerges as the undisputed leader among MLB rookies, showcasing his immense popularity and undeniable allure in the eyes of collectors worldwide.
Following closely in De La Cruz’s wake are two remarkable contenders – National League Rookie of the Year, Paul Skenes, and the highly-touted prospect, Jackson Holliday. These rising stars have not gone unnoticed, with their presence felt in the grading market, captivating the attention and admiration of avid collectors, as per the insightful data provided by Gemrate.com and analyzed by Baseball America.
As the curtain rises on the grading highlights of 2024, Ryan Stuczynski, the founder of Gemrate, echoes the sentiments of many enthusiasts, highlighting De La Cruz as the coveted prize of the year. While De La Cruz reigns supreme with his staggering 93,194 graded cards, even the American League MVP, Aaron Judge, pales in comparison with 75,545 cards graded during the same period. However, it is the phenomenal Shohei Ohtani, the National League MVP, who stands head and shoulders above the rest, setting the gold standard with an astounding 231,783 cards graded in the first ten months of 2024. Ohtani’s allure in the hobby transcends boundaries, with an awe-inspiring cumulative total of 740,000 graded cards, placing him second all-time, trailing only the legendary Ken Griffey Jr.
Turning our gaze towards the future stars, Jasson Dominguez shines brightly, leading the pack as the most exciting young player on Baseball America’s Top 100 prospects list for 2024. Joining him are the promising Dylan Crews and Walker Jenkins, encapsulating the growing interest and fervor surrounding baseball’s budding talents. The data not only illustrates the rise of new prospects but also underscores the profound impact of hype on the baseball card market, driving collectors to these emerging stars and fueling the grading activity.
The heartbeat of the grading data pulsates from the four major grading companies in the card-collecting industry: PSA, BGS, ISA, SGC, and CGC. Each company’s involvement serves as a testament to the expansive reach and influence of grading trends, reflecting not only player performance but also the sentiments of collectors, shaping the market landscape.
Why do these grading trends matter, you ask? Well, they offer a captivating narrative that unveils the popularity of players, market demands, and potential investment opportunities. For rookies and prospects alike, robust grading activity often translates into heightened collector interest and surging card values. As stalwarts like Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge loom large, their star power casts a radiant glow on the market, fostering unprecedented activity and fervor among collectors.
For those immersed in the realm of collecting, understanding these grading trends is akin to navigating a treasure map, guiding you towards promising rookies like De La Cruz or beckoning you to unearth the future stars like Dominguez. Armed with such insightful data, collectors can peer into the crystal ball and predict which players are destined to soar as the next icons of the hobby.
So, dear enthusiasts, fasten your seat belts as we journey through the whirlwind that is the baseball card market in 2024, where these remarkable players continue to make waves both on the hallowed grounds and within the cherished cardboard realms.
