MLB Players Can't Stop Ripping Pokemon Cards, Even Ripping Packs to End a Slump

MLB players like Mike Trout and Jacob Misiorowski are fueling a growing trend of collecting Pokémon cards, bringing pack ripping into clubhouses and ballparks.

MLB players are turning Pokémon card ripping into a new clubhouse ritual. | MLB.com

It’s one thing to say Pokémon cards have made their way into Major League Baseball clubhouses. It’s another to see it happen.

Jacob Misiorowski has a custom Gengar glove with a Pokémon card in the web pic.twitter.com/NHxPbr9Ohg

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) April 18, 2026

In a recent post from Major League Baseball’s official social channels, a player stands at the rail during batting practice, ripping Pokémon packs with a fan. Sleeves are ready. Reactions are real. It looks less like a pregame routine and more like a live break. That moment isn’t an outlier. It’s part of a growing trend.

Who’s that Pokémon⁉️ pic.twitter.com/RacPWD7yZr

— MLB (@MLB) April 23, 2026

Across MLB, players are quietly turning trading card games into part of the clubhouse rhythm. What used to be a niche hobby now shows up in dugouts, locker rooms, and even on the field before first pitch.

Mike Trout, a Slump, and a Charizard Reset

The clearest example came recently with Mike Trout and Zach Neto. With Neto stuck in a slump, Trout texted him before a game to come rip Pokémon packs in the clubhouse. The goal was simple. Take his mind off baseball for a few minutes.

They pulled a Charizard. That night, both players homered.

Neto later credited the moment for helping him reset, even joking that the pull was a sign. It sounded like superstition, but it also reflected something more practical. Opening packs gave him a mental break and a way to step out of the grind. And it worked.

Pokémon and a Rookie Clubhouse Ritual

That moment wasn’t isolated. In August 2025, Brewers veteran Rhys Hoskins brought sealed 1999 Pokémon packs into the clubhouse after a walk-off win and ripped them with teammates, reacting as any group of collectors would.

More recently, players have been openly celebrating their pulls, including top prospect Jacob Misiorowski, who hit a rare Charizard and shared the moment online. It’s the same energy you’d expect from any collector, just happening inside a major league clubhouse.

Jacob Misiorowski pulled a rare Charizard Pokémon 🤯🔥

And it was in the clubhouse after the Brewers won their 7th straight game!

The vibes in Milwaukee are immaculate right now pic.twitter.com/XkBrTF1kqz

— MLB (@MLB) August 9, 2025

Elsewhere, players have been spotted opening packs on the field during batting practice. Fans now show up at the ballpark with sealed product, hoping for a chance to rip alongside players at the rail. 

The dynamic has shifted. Instead of athletes signing cards, they’re opening them. What used to live in hobby shops and conventions is now part of the everyday rhythm of a big-league season.

They really had a Pokemon pack battle with the Dodgers' Will Klein at the game 😮

🎥: TikTok/packbattle pic.twitter.com/OSirRYiSwU

— The Collectibles Guru (@gurucollects) May 5, 2026

More Than Nostalgia

For many current MLB players, Pokémon isn’t new. It’s the card game they grew up with. In the same way, earlier generations chased Topps rookies; this group chases Charizard, Pikachu, and Gengar.

Now they have the means to revisit that chase. There’s also a financial lens. Phillies pitcher Matt Strahm has joked that Pokémon might be the safer investment, pointing out that a card can’t get injured or suspended. It’s a light comment, but it reflects how some players are thinking about collectibles more broadly.

For the hobby, this is a signal. When players like Trout are texting teammates to rip boxes, and veterans are bringing vintage packs into the clubhouse, it shows how far Pokémon has come.

And as those moments continue to show up, from pregame routines to walk-off celebrations, the line between athlete and collector keeps getting thinner. One pack at a time.