MLB September call ups and their card values
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The baseball regular season is now in its last month. As many fans know when the calendar shifts to September, MLB rosters expand allowing for upper level prospects to make their big league debut. Although a majority of the callups didn’t involve top prospects, there were a few teams that brought up players who were on the MLB and Baseball America Top 100 Prospects list. In this article I’ll be focusing on the hobby market of two players who made their big league debuts this September, Harry Ford of the Mariners and Sal Stewart of the Reds
Harry Ford, C Mariners
Harry Ford was considered the best prep catcher in his draft class and second best catching prospect overall behind number one pick Henry Davis. Considered a great athlete with solid all around offensive and defensive tools, Ford was selected 12th overall by the Mariners in the 2021 MLB Draft. Catchers often take a little longer to develop, but so far Ford has lived up to the expectations of fans and collectors alike.
From a collectors standpoint, Ford made his hobby debut in Bowman Draft 2021, however, Ford autos that year were hard to come by. That’s because his Bowman Chrome draft autos were short print redemptions adding to their initial value. Prior to his call up, Ford PSA 10 base autos were selling in the $180-190 per 130Point. Since his call up, the same sales have increased to $240.
Sal Stewart 2B/3B, Reds
Considered an excellent athlete, Sal Stewart was selected in the compensation round of the 2022 by the Reds with the pick they received for the Phillies signing Nick Castellanos. Stewart always had an advanced bat, having an impressive 15.7% strikeout rate into the 2025 season. He continued to show that advanced batting tool and added some power this past season as he made it all the way to majors. The only question with Stewart was where he would find a defensive home. Due to his elite athleticism he was able to handle both second and third base during his time in the minors despite his below average speed.
As was the case with Ford, Stewart’s Bowman Chrome First autos were released the same year as he was drafted and was the top chase for the Reds in Bowman Draft 2022. Unlike Ford, Stewart did not see a major bump in his sales as his Bowman Chrome base auto graded PSA 10 sold for $240 both just before and after his call up. One factor working in Stewart’s favor is that Reds players tend to have a robust market, so collectors looking to sell should have an easier time moving his cards.
