Buy or sell Luisangel Acuna rookie cards?
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When it comes to highly-touted prospects, there’s no doubt that the hype surrounding Luisangel Acuna was clear and present, however his performance and his cards prices have clearly not lived up to market expectations to his brother Ronald Acuna, Jr. and here’s a look at why that might be.
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His flagship rookie card, the 2020 Bowman Chrome Prospect Autograph PSA 10, is probably the best market indicator and according to PSA, its freefall from a “February 2021 high of $525 to a recent low of near $66”, represents the fact that Ronald’s brother is certainly no Ronald.
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Once billed as the next big thing, especially after being traded from the Texas Rangers to the New York Mets at the 2024 trade deadline, Acuna’s delayed MLB call-up and lackluster performance have drained much of the early hype. His 2024 stats were decent (12-for 39, 3 HRs, 6 RBIs & 0 SBs in 14 games) and certainly allowed collectors to keep him on the radar of players to follow, however his 2025 stats were a bit more disappointing (38-for-159, 0 HRs, 7 RBIs & 12 SBs in 79 games) and there was a clear lack in consistency at the plate, although he showed promise on the basepath.
Scouts once envisioned the younger Acuna brother as a dynamic leadoff bat with exceptional speed and a defensive prowess that compared to the likes of Francisco Lindor, but his on-field production, as noted above, has not matched those expectations.
As a result, the once red-hot market for his first Bowman Chrome Prospect Autos has cooled dramatically, leaving collectors with a tough decision ... do we take another chance on Luisangel Acuna now that he's in the midst of a September or do we ultimately let the market fizzle out even further before we start to acquire such cards in bulk ahead of the start of 2026?
If Acuna rebounds and adjusts to major-league pitching, today’s $66 price tag could look like a bargain in hindsight, but if his development continues at its mediocre pace or even worsens, his cards could drift much lower as collectors move on to fresher, more promising prospects.
Passionate sports card collector and writer based in Queens, NY. Lifelong fan of the New York Mets, Jets, and Rangers. Covering sports cards and collectibles with deep industry knowledge and enthusiasm, while bringing a fresh perspective to the ever-evolving hobby world on http://SI.com/collectibles.
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