Hot prospect cards to buy after Mets and Rangers trade
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In one of the first significant moves of the baseball offseason, the Texas Rangers and New York Mets exchanged veterans in a move that both sides hope fill a need on their respective big league rosters.
BREAKING: The New York Mets and Texas Rangers are finalizing a trade that would send second baseman Marcus Semien to the Mets and outfielder Brandon Nimmo to the Rangers, sources tell ESPN
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 23, 2025
With both teams subtracting and adding talent from their rosters, the move could clear the way for some of the teams' top prospects. Here's who can benefit from the move as well as where their card markets stand. All sold listing info is according to Card Ladder data.
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Carson Benge, Mets OF
Benge's cards have become one of the highest rising markets across baseball prospects. In his first full season of professional baseball, the outfielder hit .273 with 15 home runs, 73 RBIs and 22 stolen bases. With the trade of Nimmo opening up an outfielder spot at the Major League level, Benge could have an inside track toward winning a starting spot come Opening Day.
As of Sunday night, Benge's ungraded 1st Bowman base autographs from 2024 Bowman Draft have been selling between the range of $110-150. On November 20, a Blue Refractor 1st Bowman autograph numbered to 150 in a PSA 9 sold for $260 and the Red Refractor autograph pictured above sold in late September for $4,500. That sold listing was the second-highest card of Benge to sell all time.
Jett Williams, Mets INF/OF
While Williams was drafted as a middle infielder, the former 1st round pick in 2022 has experience in the outfield and could be part of the Major League club's plans as an outfielder long term with Francisco Lindor at shortstop and newly-acquired Marcus Semien at second base now.
Williams' card market is not as extreme as Benge's, but still is viewed as a sought-after prospect prior to the news of the trade. His ungraded 1st Bowman base autographs have sold between $50-70 with a PSA 9 Refractor autograph numbered to 499 selling for $104 on November 1. His highest-selling card was his 1/1 Superfractor autograph (pictured above) that sold for over $15,000 in March of 2023.
Sebastian Walcott, Rangers INF
While it seems like a longshot that Walcott debuts with the Rangers on Opening Day, the organization has been aggressive with his development. Making it to Double-A as a 19-year-old opened eyes across baseball. With Semien's departure, it appears the open second base position could be for Walcott in 2026 and beyond with another strong season.
What is unique about Walcott's prospect cards is that he does not officially have a 1st Bowman autograph. While he had 1st Bowman logos on his first set of cards, he did not have autographs in the product. Therefore, his 2024 Bowman autographs count as the first prospect cards that he officially signed.
The most recent sold listing came on November 18, as a PSA 10 base autograph of Walcott sold for $185 with a PSA 10 Red Refractor autograph numbered to five selling in mid-October for $6,100. Walcott is far and away the most popular name among the three prospects and will surely have a high market the closer he gets to Texas.
Dan Gardella is a Red Sox fan and collector growing up in Yankee territory in Connecticut. While only reviving his love for the hobby a few years ago, he provides knowledge into baseball cards from prospects to the big leagues.
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