As the Baltimore Orioles continue their resurgence, a crop of young talent continues to keep the birds in flight. Gunnar Henderson, a 6’3″ third baseman from Alabama, is one of the key components in the team’s return to relevance. He may be often overshadowed by 2022 rookie catcher Adley Rutschman (though most of his rookie cards are in 2023 products), but Henderson has really begun to make a name for himself.
The 2019 second round pick is favored to be named the 2023 American League Rookie of the Year. After a slow start, he’s become an offensive force, with his OPS of over .800 complementing his highlight worthy defense.
Gunnar Henderson shows off the bazooka. 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/HhRqGfmXTu
— MLB (@MLB) September 6, 2023
Collectors have been looking to scoop Henderson’s cards up before a good postseason run could make his cards soar even higher. In the last four months, over 28,000 Henderson cards have sold on eBay alone for over $1.1 million. The average price per card has doubled since May when he was struggling. Those who weren’t scared off by his slow start have been rewarded and he looks like a solid long term play.
Here are a few of my favorite Gunnar Henderson prospect and rookie cards to consider.
2019 Bowman Draft Autograph #CDAGH
It’s a tale as old as time, but the 1st Bowman autograph continues to be one of the most sought after cards of any player who’s been featured on the checklist. There’s a seemingly endless plethora of parallels collectors can look to chase, too, and the autographs are on-card, as always.
The non-parallel versions have barely been touching $200 but expect to pay more for a nice, graded version.
2020 Bowman Platinum Auto #TOP-70
If you’re looking for a cheaper way to add a Gunnar Henderson prospect auto to your collection, his 2020 Bowman Platinum autograph is a great option. Collectors may not even know that this card, or even this set, exists. It was a retail only release at Wal-Mart and Mega boxes guaranteed one autograph.
The card itself has a fairly plain design, and the autographs are all stickers, but it looks great in the SGC graded case as pictured. This particular card recently sold for $125 on eBay, which is an absolute bargain compared to some of those 2019 Bowman Draft autographs. In fact, non-parallel versions are still within reach of just about everyone.
2023 Topps 582 Montgomery Club Rookie #7
I always enjoy mentioning cards that may be overlooked or those that some collectors just may not know exist. The Montgomery Club is a Topps online exclusive membership where collectors receive a 20-card set early in the year and a “582 Montgomery” stamped 2023 Baseball complete set later in the season. Members are get special early access to certain releases throughout the year.
This particular design really catches your eye. The colorful border pops and the font choice gives it a fun spin. It manages to not look too busy despite the myriad of colors. It’s available for a very modest cost–and even graded copies aren’t pricey.
2023 Topps Chrome Radiating Rookies Auto #RRA-GH
2023 Topps Chrome has plenty of new wrinkles that makes every pack you open sort of a treasure hunt. From Tacofractors to Frozenfractors to Radiating Rookies, it’s a product that keeps on giving. The Radiating Rookies design, which also has autograph parallels like the one pictured, looks particularly eye-catching with the Orioles colors that Gunnar sports. Topps deciding to build this design atop the flagship design of the set also gives it lasting appeal.
The pictured card is a Superfractor autograph of Gunnar’s Radiating Rookies card. It sold for a staggering $15,000 in mid-August. Autographed versions numbered to 23 have been bringing four-figure prices. The base non-autographed version of this SSP is selling in the $175-$250 range.
2023 Topps Tribute Autograph #TA-GH
Topps Tribute is one of the year releases that I look forward to the most. 2023’s version did not disappoint. It always features a clean and sleek design, and the cards always feel and look extremely high end. The on-card autos in this product make the single cards very desirable.
Despite the high price tag of the product itself, the single cards do not often sell for as much as you may think. The 1/1 variation Autograph sold for just over $1,100 in early August. A far cry from the Radiating Rookies 1/1 autograph from 2023 Topps Chrome. There are a couple of different Henderson autographed cards in the product.
You can see a live list of the 100 most watched auctions for Gunnar Henderson cards on eBay below and see all of his cards currently on the market here.
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