Fanatics, MLB working to fix debut patch snafu

Arguably no baseball cards have been more sought after than the MLB Debut patches that have been in Topps products since 2023 Topps Chrome Update. However, sometimes there are problems that come with the patch.

During Boston Red Sox's prospect Payton Tolle's first career big league start on August 29, collectors watching the game noticed there was no debut patch displayed on one of the left-hander's jersey sleeves.

Digging through my photos this morning to try and solve the mystery of the missing Payton Tolle MLB Debut patch 🤣 It definitely fell off somewhere between warming up in the dugout and the start of the game pic.twitter.com/TdaLAiqqwm
— Ashley Green (@agreenphotog) September 1, 2025

Fanatics explained that the patch fell off during Tolle's warmups in the pregame and did not make it out to the mound with the pitcher as he faced the Pittsburgh Pirates. While the patch will still make its way into a future product for collectors to chase, it will come with a note that the patch was worn only during warmups and not the actual game.

Tolle's debut patch incident followed another instance where Tampa Bay Rays' prospect Carson Williams had his patch fall off his sleeve during his debut, although Topps confirmed it took the field with Williams in the early stages of the game before being authenticated. The patch itself is stuck to the sleeve of the jersey rather than being sewed, likely for easy access to take off the jersey for authenticating.

Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Carson Williams gets his first career hit during the third inning against the St. Louis Cardinals. — Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Carson Williams gets his first career hit during the third inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at George M. Steinbrenner Field. | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

The MLB Debut patch came to life at the start of the 2023 season, with players such as Anthony Volpe, Jordan Walker, Kodai Senga, and Zach Neto headlining the first crop of rookies to wear the patch the first time they took an MLB field. The chase further intensified the following season when Paul Skenes' 1/1 debut patch sold for more than a million dollars last winter.

Along with Skenes, several debut patches have sold for large sums of money as the 1/1 patch tops even a rookie autograph superfractor in the eyes of some collectors as a player's best card in existence. The patch brings together the typical baseball card collector as well as someone who eyes memorabilia.

With another crop of rookie debut patches hitting Topps Chrome Update this winter, players such as James Wood, Jacob Wilson, Marcelo Mayer and more will have collectors running to their card shops looking for the next big hit.