As the sun rises on a new year of America’s pastime, there’s a familiar crackle of excitement in the air—yes, the stirrings of the 2025 MLB season are almost palpable. With the first pitches of spring training setting hearts aflutter, there’s also a distinct buzz among savvy baseball card collectors and investors. It’s that time again: time to scout out players whose trading cards, as undervalued treasures, could transform modest investments into veritable jackpots.
In the fast-paced carnival that is baseball, every season brings a fresh selection of surprise stars. Today, we’re peeling back the curtain on four prospective players whose talents may yield lucrative dividends for those with a keen eye for hidden baseball card gems.
**Brandon Pfaadt – Arizona Diamondbacks**
Meet Brandon Pfaadt, a pitcher who might not yet be boasting superstar stats but is quietly crafting his masterpiece. Don’t let his pedantic 5.06 ERA over 277.2 career innings deceive you, because beneath the surface, Pfaadt is brimming with untapped potential.
A closer look at his 2024 numbers serves up a mouth-watering dish of tantalizing promise. While his ERA sat at 4.71, an impressive 3.78 xERA and 3.61 FIP painted an optimistic picture. Toting a 9.04 K/9 and an admirably low 2.2 BB/9, Pfaadt has shown he can be both fierce and precise, a maestro of the strike zone.
This baseball virtuoso is biding his time in the Arizona Diamondbacks’ rotation, patiently waiting to strike as the lineup’s fourth string behind established stars Corbin Burnes, Zac Gallen, and Merrill Kelly. The beauty here? Pfaadt’s cards, currently akin to crumbs at a banquet, are ripe for investment, positioned perfectly to skyrocket with his impending ascendance. Cards such as the 2023 Topps Chrome Rookie Card and 2020 Bowman Draft 1st Bowman Card serve as golden tickets for those bold enough to scoop them up before the baseball cognoscenti catch on.
**Jared Jones – Pittsburgh Pirates**
Ah, Jared Jones. In the bustling ensemble cast that is Pittsburgh’s budding young rotation, Jones is often the unsung hero. However, his 2024 performance should be music to the ears of astute investors: a 4.14 ERA nestled alongside a near-identical 4.05 xERA and 4.00 FIP, paired with a striking 9.7 K/9 and a meticulous 2.88 BB/9.
Jones is a craftsman who spent this year’s Spring Training expanding his sonic repertoire—introducing a two-seamer that compliments his already formidable fastball and slider. Right now, his Topps Chrome Rookie Auto /499 is a veritable bargain at a mere $30! When a young pitcher with such sharp tools hits his stride, his card values will likely pirouette into an upward trajectory.
**Heston Kjerstad – Baltimore Orioles**
Baltimore’s roster brims with future stars, and in this crowd lurks Heston Kjerstad. While his Major League limelight remains elusive, his minor league performances blaze brightly enough to illuminate his potential.
In 2024, Kjerstad dominated across tiers like a maestro orchestrating a symphony, boasting a .303/.401/.584 line with 16 homers, 61 RBI, and 51 runs. With such elegant contact skills and looming power potential, Kjerstad is merely waiting in the wings, penned behind peers in an enviably talented Orioles lineup.
If Kjerstad can secure time on the grand stage—perhaps as a Designated Hitter—his card values may erupt in a crescendo of interest. Last year, a 2024 Bowman Chrome Rookie Gold Refractor Auto /50 PSA 10 sold for just $150, a mere pittance for those in the know.
**Kerry Carpenter – Detroit Tigers**
Now let’s crank up the power and introduce Kerry Carpenter, one of baseball’s most unappreciated heavy hitters. Carpenter, who already boasts 44 home runs over 236 MLB games, resembles an uncut gem among baseball cards.
Even saddled with back issues in 2024, Carpenter persisted, swinging for 18 home runs and driving in 57 over just 87 games. Notably, his hard-hit rate, HR/FB ratio, and exit velocity charted notable improvements.
Primed to be a pivotal cog in Detroit’s lineup—and with many RBI opportunities ahead of him—Carpenter’s rookie autos remain an investment coup. His 2023 Topps Chrome Rookie Card, along with its variations, offers tantalizing prospects for bullish investors.
Every MLB season unfurls a new tapestry of heroes, and this cadre of promising players may well take center stage in 2025. Their cards are a delightful carte blanche to not just expand your collection, but to do so with an eye towards handsome profits. Investors, hinge your hopes on their ascent and act now—before the scene shifts and prices spiral.
