Are Mike Trout rookie cards a good investment in 2023?

We’re taking the opportunity to look at one of the most famous players of all-time while the market is in a slight lull. 

Considering 2020’s pandemic-shortened season and a calf injury he suffered in May of last season, the world has been robbed of seeing Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels on the field for much of the past few years.

Regardless, Mike Trout is indisputably one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. His rookie cards are highly collectible.

Here are our thoughts on the current state of the market for Mike Trout RCs, alongside a trio of the very best options.  

Are Mike Trout Rookie Cards a Good Investment in 2022? 

The 30-year-old is hoping to earn his fourth American League MVP selection with the Angels. Here are Mike Trout’s stats at the current time of writing, courtesy of Baseball Reference. 

Mike Trout Achievements:

All-Star Game • Most Valuable Player (2019) • Most Valuable Player (2016) • Most Valuable Player (2015) • Most Valuable Player (2014) • Most Valuable Player (2014) • Rookie of the Year (2012) • Silver Slugger Award (x7) • All-Star Game MVP (x2) • three-time MVP • eight-time All-Star • Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award • Rookie of the Year Award

Given the endless accolades, Trout is almost certainly going to be a Hall of Famer when he retires. 

That should provide a boost to his RC prices, although they’re already reasonably expensive. We think they’re still one of the most reliable baseball cards to invest in for 2022. 

The Best Mike Trout Rookie Cards:

Here are three of the best Mike Trout rookie cards that have been available on the resale market in recent weeks. 

3. 2011 Bowman Draft Mike Trout RC #101 (eBay)

The 2011 Bowman Draft Mike Trout rookie card has been seen as the one to collect for a couple of years, especially when looking at Refractor versions. 

(All 110 base cards and all 110 Prospect inserts were available in a Chrome edition. One Bowman Chrome card was inserted into each pack.)

Trout is pictured in a batting pose for the action shot. There’s a prominent RC logo in the top left corner, while the use of black for the border makes it more susceptible to displaying any damage. You’ll also be able to find a range of colored parallels.

Parallels: Refractors, Blue Refractors (/199), Gold Refractors (/50), Orange Refractors (/25), Red Refractors (/10), Printing Plates, Super-Fractors (/1), Canary Diamond (/1)

2. 2011 Topps Update Diamond Anniversary Mike Trout RC #US175 (eBay)

The 2011 Topps Update set used the same design as 2011 Topps Series 1 and 2. This means that there’s a glorious action shot of Trout after a successful swing. The base version is always in high demand. 

The Diamond parallel relates to the finish and the borderline. It does look like it’s been dipped in silver, as seen in the image above. 

As with the others, expect to pay a premium if you’re looking for a graded copy from one of the more reputable companies. 

1. 2009 Bowman Sterling Mike Trout RC #BSPMT (eBay)

The famous 2009 Bowman Sterling RC is arguably the best Trout collectible on the market. It was released way back when he was selected 25th overall in the MLB draft of that year. 

(He started his pro career out of high school, playing for the Arizona Angels of the rookie-level Arizona League. He hit .360 with a .418 OBP and .506 SLG with one home run, 25 runs batted in (RBIs), and 13 stolen bases in 187 plate appearances over 39 games.)

Of course, Trout wouldn’t make his Angels debut until 2011. This is an important release that comes with a sticker auto found at the bottom. 

Mike Trout Rookie Cards: Summary 

Taking up the mantle from Derek Jeter, Trout is one of the greatest players of all-time. He has a collection of rookie cards which rival almost any athlete. 

They’re likely to be some of the best options within the sport. Fans are also looking forward to seeing Trout with a star-studded Angels team after he only appeared in 36 games in 2021.

The player still has goals to chase, and has eight years remaining on his massive 12-year, $426.5 million deal. If he continues to put up record-breaking numbers, Trout has to be seen as one of the safest investments within the hobby. 

Are Mike Trout RCs a good investment in 2023? Definitely, even if they’re valuable enough to ensure that the average collector is priced out of owning pristine copies.

Check all available Mike Trout rookie cards on eBay