The New York professional athlete with the shortest time on his team’s roster has emerged as the leader in holiday gift-giving among sales at SteinerSports.com. Gary Sanchez, the Yankees rookie sensation whose torrid hitting led to a pair of Player of the Week honors and Player of the Month for August in the American League, has sold more memorabilia than any other athlete since Black Friday. Sanchez has done a couple of autograph sessions for Steiner since his arrival in the major jeagues, signing photos, baseballs, jerseys and other items.
Bronx Bombers’ all-time greats, the “Core 4” duo of Derek Jeter (sixth), Mariano Rivera (seventh), and iconic catcher Yogi Berra (ninth) give the Yankees four in the top 10. Signed items for all three players have been popular sellers for Steiner since the company’s inception.
Steiner says Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist ranks second while team captain Ryan McDonagh, is the 10th best seller.
Second-year forward Kristaps Porzingis, emerging as a legitimate NBA star with the Knicks on a roll, rates third in sales, and is the only hoopster in Steiner’s top 10.
The football Giants have a trio on the list: two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning ranks fourth, wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. follows in fifth with sales of his wildly popular one-handed grab among the company’s biggest sellers. Perhaps the biggest surprise to make the top 10 is safety Landon Collins, the Alabama defensive whiz who rates eighth.
“Gary Sanchez is the new kid in town, he’s provocative.” says Steiner Sports executive vice president Sean Mahoney. “The incredible numbers he put up in just two months have fans dreaming that he could be the next big star in baseball, and want to be a part of that. Gary has had one of the most impressive starts to a career in New York sports history, and that’s intriguing.”
Here’s the list:
Steiner Sports Top 10 Holiday Sales /Black Friday (Nov. 24) through current
- Gary Sanchez/Yankees
- Henrik Lundqvist/Rangers
- Kristaps Porzingis/Knicks
- Eli Manning/Giants
- Odell Beckham, Jr./Giants
- Derek Jeter/Yankees
- Mariano Rivera/Yankees
- Landon Collins/Giants
- Yogi Berra/Yankees
- Ryan McDonagh/Rangers
Over the next month, Steiner has private signings planned with several athletes on the list.