Spencer Torkelson Post-Hype Card Market Back on the Rise
Has Spencer Torkelson finally arrived? The top overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, the first baseman ranked third and fourth on MLB Pipeline's Top 100 prospects for 2021 and 2022 respectively. His early Bowman cards were some of the hottest chase cards in 2020. A topsy-turvy first couple of seasons at the big league level have led to multiple callups and demotions back to Triple-A. Torkelson's card market struggled as collectors were trying to get a handle on what kind of pro he would or could be.
Torkelson, who broke Barry Bonds' freshman home run record at Arizona State with 25, was something close to a can't-miss prospect in 2020. He was the first rookie to receive a contract above slot value, getting over $8 million to sign up with the Tigers. The hype train and the booming card market brought some big sales to Tarkelson cards right away.
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The peak came in April of 2022, when his 1st Bowman Chrome Draft Prospect Auto /5 sold for $111,360. The sale remains something of an outlier, but there were seven other five-figure sales of Torkelson Bowmans during 2021 and 2022. But, his card market could not hold, during an inconsistent start to his Major League career.
Tarkelson made his MLB debut in 2022 and struggled mightily. He made it until July up with Detroit, demoted after hitting .199 with only five homers. Called up in September, he didn't fare much better. But then, in 2023, it seemed like Torkelson had figured it out, putting together one of the best Age-23 seasons in franchise history. 31 Home Runs, 94 RBI, 66 XBH. But, 2024, Torkelson regressed, and was demoted again in June. He was recalled late in the season again, but the improvement did not come. His all-time Card Ladder Rate of Growth is -74.64% at writing.
But, hold on. Spencer Torkelson once again looks like he could be a star. 8 Home Runs, 24 RBI, .929 OPS. The Tigers are riding high, 18-10 and leading the AL Central by 2.5 games. With a high-ceiling rotation, there's every chance Torkelson will get some big opportunities in big spots throughout the year, and into the postseason. And his cards are back on the rise.
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Let's take a look at his Bowman Draft Chrome Prospect Auto /50. The most recent sale came on April 19, when a PSA 9 sold for almost $1,500. In 2021, a version sold for over $2,500. In 2023, the card sold five times from $477 - $931. The card sold for $671 on April 17.
Over the last three months, Torkelson's cards have shown a solid Rate of Growth of almost 100%. Over the last two weeks, that number sits at almost 20%.
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We've seen three four-figure Torkelson sales since April 17, including a 2022 Topps Chrome RC Superfractor 1/1 for $1,075.
Looking at Torkelson's 2020 Bowman Draft Chrome Prospect Autographs /499, the most recent sale of a PSA 10 came on April 20 for $460. A PSA 10 sold for $2,225 in June of 2022. The low mark for the card is $140, just in February of this year. In March, the card went for just under $200, but since April 13, we've seen three sales for $399 - $460. Obviously, it's still some distance from where this card started, but it's clear that some collectors are starting to believe in Torkelson again.
It's easy to forget just how good of a prospect Torkelson was. A 65 overall grade per MLB Pipeline, he's described in the Pipeline scouting report: "Torkelson has a special bat, with the ability to hit for both average and power from the right side. He’s extremely patient and controls at-bats well, drawing plenty of walks. When Torkelson does swing, he combines physical strength and bat speed to generate massive power from line to line, including elite raw power to his pull side. He gets to that power during games with relative ease, too, thanks to natural hitting ability that allows him to hit all different pitch types to all fields." A 60 hit grade, with 70 power, Torkelson's ceiling is undeniably high. He's still only 25 years old. There's every chance there's plenty more room for Torkelson's card market to grow.
Michael Terry is a writer based in Brooklyn. He specializes in sports, culture, and collecting. His work has appeared at Topps RIPPED, ESPN, Grantland, Vice Sports, and more.