The 2025 Baseball Hall Of Fame Class in Cards

We now know who is going to be inducted into the baseball hall of fame this summer
May 1, 2019; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners former outfielder Ichiro Suzuki (51) acknowledges fans after being introduced as an instructor during the second inning against the Chicago Cubs at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
May 1, 2019; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners former outfielder Ichiro Suzuki (51) acknowledges fans after being introduced as an instructor during the second inning against the Chicago Cubs at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

This year, only three members will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame: Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia, and Billy Wagner. Ichiro and Sabathia are first-time candidates on the ballot, while Wagner finally received enough votes to secure his place.

Ichiro came incredibly close to becoming only the second unanimous player elected—next to Mariano Rivera—falling just one vote short with 393 out of 394 votes.

From a sports card perspective, none of these players would be considered "modern" by today’s standards, but they were all part of pivotal eras in the history of the hobby.

The Truth About the Iconic 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle Baseball Card

Billy Wagner’s era saw a proliferation of companies producing trading cards. His rookie cards can be found in sets from Pinnacle, Score, Topps, and Upper Deck, showcasing the wide variety of products available at the time.

Pinnacle and Score rookies
Images Courtesy of COMC.com
Topps and Upper deck rookies
Images Courtesy of COMC.com

Fanatics to Open First Collectibles Flagship Store in London

CC Sabathia’s cards followed a more modern trajectory. Like many players today, Sabathia appeared in multiple Bowman sets, dating back to 1999.

1999 Bowman - [Base] #344 - CC Sabathia
1999 Bowman - [Base] #344 - CC Sabathia / Images Courtesy of COMC.com

When he made his MLB debut in 2001, he was included in one of the most iconic rookie baseball sets of all time: the 2001 Topps Traded & Rookies product. That set also featured fellow Hall of Famers Albert Pujols and Ichiro Suzuki.

2001 Topps Traded & Rookies - [Base] #T88 - CC Sabathia
2001 Topps Traded & Rookies - [Base] #T88 - CC Sabathia / Images Courtesy of COMC.com

Los Angeles Dodger, Roki Sasaki's Baseball Cards

Before joining MLB, Ichiro was a star in Japan and appeared in numerous Japanese trading card sets. This trend continues today, as Japanese players like Shohei Ohtani also appear in Japanese products before making their MLB debuts. Once Ichiro signed with the Seattle Mariners, his stardom skyrocketed in the United States.

Ichiro BBM cards
Ichiro BBM cards / Images Courtesy of COMC.com

Starting in 2001, he began appearing in MLB card products, and his cards remain popular to this day. Thanks to the success of international players like Ohtani, Ichiro continues to be a prominent feature in modern baseball card products.

2001 Topps - [Base] #726 - Ichiro Suzuki
2001 Topps - [Base] #726 - Ichiro Suzuki / Images Courtesy of COMC.com

The green border of the 2001 Topps design remains one of the most iconic in the company’s history. From 1997 to 2010, Topps used full borders on its card designs before switching to full-bleed images. The 2001 design, in particular, holds a special place in collectors' hearts, not just for its aesthetic appeal but also for the incredible rookie class it represents.


Published |Modified
Adam Palmer
ADAM PALMER

Adam has been a sports content creator since 2016, initially focusing on creating sports-related graphics for his Instagram page. In 2018, he transitioned to writing and podcasting about sports cards. Since then, he has worked both independently and with companies within the industry, producing podcasts, videos, and written content on sports cards.