Ken Griffey Jr. and Other '90s Baseball Cards Collectors Hoped Would Make Them Rich
The idea of holding onto a player's rookie card and waiting for it to go up in value has been around since the early 1970s when Mickey Mantle rookie cards were selling for $50. But the rookie card bonanza took off with the 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr., a historic card for various reasons.
Ken Griffey's Upper Deck card was released the same year as his major league debut, amping the hype around his card. His card was a literal stock that would ride through the ups and downs of his rookie season. It may seem commonplace now, but it wasn't until Upper Deck entered the space.
Griffey was such a phenom that his rookie card sold for $4 - $6, an eye-opening amount in 1989. But it reached a boiling point, with the card selling for as much as $140. The only problem? It's believed over a million Griffey cards were printed. The card market would crash, and so would Griffey's rookie, so naturally, people in the hobby looked toward the next big thing. (Note: PSA grading has helped revive the Griffey rookie card, with PSA 10s selling for about $3,000.)
Below are a few cards collectors were pinning their hopes on. Unfortunately, unrealistic hype and mass production quashed any value the cards once had.
1. 1990 Upper Deck Kevin Maas
The New York Yankees were hoping Maas would be the heir to Don Mattingly at first base. Everything was going to plan when Maas finished his rookie year second in AL Rookie of the Year voting with 64 base hits, 21 home runs, and 41 RBI in 254 at-bats. His rookie card was one of the most sought-after throughout 1990 and into the 1991 season. But he couldn't quite replicate the success of 1990. His 1991 season had some highlights, but he finished with a disappointing .220 batting average. Maas last appeared in the Major Leagues in 1995 with the Minnesota Twins.
2. 1990 Topps Traded Scott Erickson
I remember getting offered $5 for Erickson's 1992 Topps card at a local card store. Nine-year-old me knew better and declined. Now, you can find the card in a $0.10 bin. Erickson led the league with 20 wins in 1991 and came second in AL Cy Young voting after a great rookie year in 1990. Erickson was going to be that guy. However, Erickson peaked in 1991, putting a decent season in 1992 but trailing off considerably afterwards. Still, Erickson managed to have a 15-year major league career. Not bad at all.
3. 1990 Topps Ben McDonald
McDonald was the top college pitcher in 1989, becoming the #1 overall pick out of LSU in the 1989 MLB Draft. He signed for a then-record 3-year, $950,000 contract for a first overall pick. McDonald had a solid rookie year in 1990, finishing eighth in Rookie of the Year voting, but he never quite lived up to the hype. However, McDonald pitched in nine seasons, finishing with a solid career in which he pitched 1,291.1 innings with a 3.91 ERA.
4. 1991 Upper Deck Todd Van Poppel
Van Poppel was a highly-touted high school prospect with a blazing fastball who probably would have had a better career had he spent more time in the minors. The Braves famously wanted to take him with the #1 overall pick, but instead, they opted to go with Chipper Jones when Van Poppel made it clear he didn't want to go to Atlanta. He was drafted in the 1990 MLB Draft and debuted in 1991, starting in his lone appearance of the season. Van Poppel didn't play in 1992 due to injury. Van Poppel struggled mightily in his next five seasons, enduring injuries in 1997 and 1999. Van Poppel didn't find sustained success until the 2000 and 2001 seasons with the Chicago Cubs.
5. 1992 Topps Brien Taylor
Taylor was the #1 overall pick of the 1991 MLB Draft. Before the 1992 season, Baseball America ranked him the #1 overall prospect. Taylor was armed with a 99 mph fastball, leveraging that to a 3-year, $1.55 million rookie deal. Taylor posted a 2.57 ERA with the Yankees' Class A minor league club. But he injured his shoulder in a fight in 1993, just before he was to begin his AAA season in 1994. He was never the same and never made the major leagues. He is still considered the Yankees' best pitching prospect ever.
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Prospecting is an exciting but risky part of the hobby. There are no assurances that a hotshot rookie will pan out. If history tells us anything, it's better to plan on someone's rookie card not funding your retirement instead of thinking it will skyrocket in value. For every 1993 Upper Deck SP Derek Jeter, you'll have dozens of "what could have been."
