How Has Mike Trout's Latest Injury Affected His Memorabilia Market?

Sam Garcia | Aug 14, 2024

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Once celebrated as one of the greatest MLB players of all time, 14-season Angels veteran Mike Trout has been battling a relentless string of injuries that have interrupted his last four seasons. His frequent absence from the game has casted doubts on how valuable his memorabilia is.

Since early August of 2022, the Card Ladder index for Trout has dropped nearly 59 percent, according to SportsCollectorsDaily.com. 

The 33-year-old has endured an injury every season since 2021. In the last four seasons, he has only played in 41 games after the All-Star break, according to SportsCollectorsDaily.com.

In May 2021, Trout was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right calf strain. He was later switched to the 60-day injured list, suggesting the injury was more severe than initially expected. Trout was reactivated from IL in July, just in time for the 2021 MLB All-Star game. 

But, his return to the field did not last long. By November of that year, he was placed back on the 10-day injured list but this time with upper back spasms. Both of the injuries limited Trout to 117 games, which was the lowest in his career before this season. 

Although Trout was not placed on IL in 2022, he missed 35 games that season with a sore back. This was when Trout’s Card Ladder index began to drop significantly.  To make matters worse, just before the 2023 MLB All-Star game, Trout endured a left hamate fracture that would sideline him until November.

This season, Trout once again endured an early season-ending injury, which was determined to be a left knee meniscus tear. 

The long slew of injuries for Trout have led to some of Trout’s best trading cards to plummet in value. His 2009 Bowman Draft autographs in PSA 9 have dropped by more than 60 percent. This card used to be worth about $9,000, but it sold for just $3,600 on July 12 following Trout’s knee injury. 

The value of his 2009 Bowman Draft Autos #/500 in PSA 10 has declined by nearly 50 percent. The card sold for $30,000 in late Dec. 2022, but there has been only one sale this season. The card was sold for $16,200 this April, likely right before he was placed on IL on April 30.

Considering that his 2009 Bowman Draft Autographed SuperFractor 1/1 once sold for $3.84 million in April 2020, the recent sale prices have been uncharacteristically low, especially for a 12-time MLB All-Star.