First baseman Freddie Freeman played for the Atlanta Braves for 12 seasons, before joining the LA Dodgers in 2022. For now, he seems to have settled into life in Los Angeles after a stormy start. 

“I’m so happy to be here, because, man, these guys helped me so much,” he said of his Dodgers teammates. “It’s emotional because I’ve gone through a lot … and these guys in this clubhouse, man, they’ve surrounded me, the fan base has surrounded me, it’s been just a special start to, I think, a wonderful Dodger career.”

A six-time MLB All-Star, Freeman won a Gold Glove Award in 2018, the Silver Slugger Award in 2019, 2020 and 2021, and the National League’s MVP Award in 2020. 

Here’s a roundup with five of the best Freddie Freeman rookie cards to collect, featuring prospect cards, autos, and rare options from his time with the Braves. 

The Best Freddie Freeman Rookie Cards

The Braves selected Freeman in the second round, with the 78th overall selection, of the 2007 MLB draft. 

This means you’ll be able to find Freddie Freeman prospect and rookie cards released between 2007 and 2011.

5. 2007 Bowman Draft Chrome Prospects Freddie Freeman RC #BDPP12 (eBay)

The 2007 Bowman Draft Picks & Prospects release was Freeman’s first card found in a major brand. It features a simple image of the player at the plate, with a bat in hand. 

The real value lies with the various Refactor parallels, which correspond with either the borders or the background. (For example, we’ve used an X-Fractor in the image above.)  

Graded copies of the rarer parallels can sell for over $1,000, but base copies are still reasonably affordable. 

• Parallels: Refractor, X-Fractor (/299), Blue (/199), Gold (/50), Orange (/25), Red (/5)

Check prices of Bowman Draft Chrome Prospects Freddie Freeman RC on eBay

4. 2011 Topps Finest Freddie Freeman RC #72 Autograph Refractor #/499 (eBay)

Fast forward to 2011, and the Topps Finest set. 

Rookie Autograph Refractor parallels include the X-Fractor (#/299) and the Green Refractor (#/149), with all other colors having a print run of fewer than 100 copies, such as Orange (#/99), Gold (#/75) and Red (#/25).

As well as the base auto, there’s an Autographed Rookie Dual Relic. (You’ll see an example in the card image.) 

The Relic features a couple of jersey patches, although it comes with a stickered autograph. 

Check prices of 2011 Topps Finest Freddie Freeman RC on eBay 

3. 2011 Bowman Chrome Freddie Freeman RC #205 Autograph (eBay)

Freddie Freeman’s signed 2011 Bowman release features a strong action shot, an RC logo, and an on-card auto. There’s also an unsigned version that shares the same card number.

Once again, it’s worth looking at the colored Refractors if you’re interested in the most valuable versions. (You’ll see a copy of the Blue parallel in the image above.)

Included as one of the redemptions, the full-bleed borders are also susceptible to chipping easily.

• Parallels: Refractor (/500), Blue Refractor (/250), Gold Refractor (/50), SuperFractor 1/1, Printing Plates 1/1 (Jumbo)

Check prices of 2011 Bowman Chrome Freddie Freeman RC on eBay 

2. 2011 Topps Chrome Freddie Freeman RC #173 Autograph (eBay)

2011 Topps Chrome features a Freeman auto which is one of 20 cards found in the Rookie Autograph subset. 

An improvement on the error-riddled 2010 release, you’ll find on-card signatures which ensure the flagship set contains one of the more popular Freeman rookie cards ever produced. 

It’s tough to match the serial numbered Refractor parallels in terms of value or prestige. 

• Parallels: Refractor (/499), Blue Refractor (/199), Black Bordered Refractor (/100), Sepia Refractor (/99), Gold Refractor (/50), Red Refractor (/25)

Check prices of 2011 Topps Chrome Freddie Freeman RC on eBay 

1. 2009 Bowman Chrome Prospects Autograph Freddie Freeman RC #BCP101 (eBay)

Freeman’s 2009 Bowman Chrome Prospects card is the one to collect if you’re looking for the rarest options. 

BCP cards are always popular with collectors, with the prospects and rookies being some of the main attractions since the brand made its debut in 1997.

Bowman Chrome prospect cards are technically inserts and not part of the main set, even though they look similar. 

It might not be an ‘official’ Freeman RC, but it’s still one of the more coveted collectibles featuring his likeness. 

• Parallels: Refractor (/500), X-Fractor (/250), Blue (/150), Orange (/25), Gold (/50), Orange (/25), Red (#/5)

Check prices of 2009 Bowman Chrome Freddie Freeman RC on eBay 

Freddie Freeman Rookie Cards: Buyers Guide 

What does the market look like for the best Freddie Freeman rookie cards? Here are our thoughts in terms of values and overall interest. 

Despite being released over a decade ago, there are still a number of affordable Freeman RCs. In fact, you should be able to grab some of the cheaper autos for roughly $150. 

Of the options listed above, we’d stick with the 2009 Bowman Chrome Prospects auto. As the first ever release, BCP cards typically hold a premium compared to the rookie cards released later. 

Freddie Freeman Rookie Cards: Final Thoughts 

Freddie Freeman rookie cards are some of the better investment options on the market. For example, he’s a shoo-in for a spot in the Hall of Fame, and seems to have settled into his new life as a Dodgers player. 

He won the World Series with the Braves in 2021, and likely never thought he’d leave the team as he was the face of the franchise.

(In June 2021, Freeman parted ways with Excel Sports Management, allegedly over dissatisfaction with how his free agency played out when he left Atlanta.)

Regardless, the best Freddie Freeman RCs are worth keeping tabs on, while values have slowly increased each year since he made his debut.