The Five Essential Baseball Cards of Michael Jordan

Let's face it. Very few collectors can afford Michael Jordan's rookie cards, at least if we're talking about basketball. But what about baseball? As it turns out, most of the GOAT's baseball cards remain relatively affordable. Here are five to be had for less than the price of a blaster box.

Among the sports feats to file away in the category of "did this really happen," Michael Jordan's brief stint as a minor league baseball player surely ranks near the top of the list. True enough, His Airness played 127 games for the Birmingham Barons in 1994, which was nearly as many as he later played for the Washington Wizards (yes, that happened too!). While Jordan's .202 batting average and three homers didn't earn him a ticket to the Show, it did earn him plenty of baseball cards that, if nothing else, remind collectors of the one year MJ didn't dominate.

1991 Upper Deck Michael Jordan SP1

Jordan had not yet traded his sneakers for cleats in 1991, but that didn't stop Upper Deck from including MJ in its Upper Deck baseball set. The card was a short print distributed at a rate of one per 72 packs and depicted Jordan taking batting practice at Comiskey Park on July 25, 1990. Among Jordan's better swings that day were two BP homers into the seats, including one upper deck shot.

1994 Classic Michael Jordan #1

Though the Classic sets of the late 1980s and early 1990s are often considered throwaways today, the truth is they had some GREAT looking cards, as is the case with the Jordan baseball card that led off the 1994 set. What's more, one could make a case for any one of Jordan's relatively major licensed 1994 issues as a minor league rookie card of the GOAT.

1994 Fleer ProCards Michael Jordan

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An old adage in the Hobby is that if it sounds too good to be true it probably is. Well, the adage is doubly true if someone offers you a first-year Fleer Michael Jordan for $50. Before puling the trigger on the purchase, be sure to clarify whether they mean basketball or baseball! And truth be told, even if they do tell you basketball, it's probably smart to stay clear of the offer.

1994-95 Collector's Choice Michael Jordan

Strictly speaking, the 1994-95 Collector's Choice set was a basketball set. Still, card #23 appropriately shows Air Jordan playing his second best sport. Well, that's what the back shows anyhow. As for the front, it shows Jordan playing his third best sport: baseball!

1995 Upper Deck Minor League Michael Jordan

Wrapping up the list of MJ's essential baseball cards is this beauty from the 1995 Upper Deck Minor League set, which billed Jordan (and every other player in the set!) as a Top Prospect. Still, whatever promise His Airness may have had on the diamond, collectors knew not to get their hopes up. On March 18, Money sent the two-word fax that would announce his return to the NBA, leaving baseball fans with nothing more than crazy memories and maybe an occasional "what might have been."