The greatest Latin-American starting pitchers' rookie cards
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Latin-American pitchers have made their mark in league history, from Juan Marichal's exuberant delivery to Dennis Martínez's unorthodox style. Here, we look at the accomplishments of the greatest Latin-American pitchers and their rookie cards.
Related: Rookie Cards of the best pitching staff ever: Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz
Today In 1991: “Nothing scratchy, nothing flukey, it was a masterpiece!”
— Baseball by BSmile (@BSmile) July 28, 2025
~ Montréal #Expos pitcher Dennis Martínez hurls a perfect game vs. the Los Angeles #Dodgers at Dodger Stadium! The great Vin Scully with the call! #MLB #Baseball #History pic.twitter.com/skANudG3w5
RELATED: Seven essential Los Angeles Dodgers rookie cards
6. Dennis "El Presidente" Martínez (1977 Topps #491)
Martínez, from Nicaragua, is the second-most-winning Latin American pitcher with 245 wins. He also has a 3.70 career ERA and 2,149 strikeouts in 3,999.2 innings pitched. He is a four-time All-Star and won the ERA title in 1991.
Martínez is a member of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame from his time with the Montreal Expos and a member of the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame. On July 28, 1991, he pitched the 13th perfect game in MLB history while with the Expos.
Martínez's rookie card has been graded by PSA 696 times, resulting in 41 PSA 10s and 213 PSA 9s. The last sale for a PSA 10 was for $524, and PSA 9s sell for $50.
5. Félix "King Felix" Hernández (2004 Bowman's Best Autograph #FH)
The Venezuela-born Hernández seemed destined for the Hall of Fame as he entered his age-30 season. Then, in 2016, after turning 30 and coming off an All-Star season, Hernández's production dropped off drastically. While he still pitched respectably in 2016, finishing the season with a 3.82 ERA, it would be his final season with a WAR above 1.0.
Still, Hernández managed to become the Mariners' all-time leader in wins and strikeouts. In 2018, he became just the fourth starter ever to make 10 consecutive Opening Day starts. Hernández retired at the end of the 2019 season, dominating the majors from the age of 21 to 29, before finishing his career with a sudden drop in his final four seasons.
Hernández's 2004 Bowman's Best carried one autographed first-year player card per pack. The packs sold for $15. PSA has graded only 148 of these cards, with a PSA 10 population of 57, selling for $325. PSA 9s sell for $200, and PSA 8s sell for $50.
4. Johan "El Gocho" Santana
Just like Hernández, fellow Venezuelan Johan Santana didn't have the longest career, but at his peak, he was the best pitcher in baseball. Santana won two AL Cy Young awards, three ERA titles, and the pitching Triple Crown in 2006 (leader in wins, ERA, and strikeouts). Similar to Hernández, Santana's velocity dipped noticeably in his age-30 season in 2009, and he relied on his experience.
After three solid seasons with the New York Mets, he missed the entire 2011 season, retiring after a mostly forgettable 2012 season, except for pitching the Mets' first-ever no-hitter, a feat accomplished in the franchise's 51st season. Mets fans celebrated as if they had won the World Series.
If Santana could've produced three (or two?) more solid seasons, he would've solidly been in the Hall of Fame discussion.
We love numbered rookie cards, and our choice for Santana is his 2000 Bowman's Best rookie card numbered to 2,999. The most recent PSA 10 sold for $80, while the one before it sold for just $41. Not bad for one of the great pitchers of the 2000s.
3. Luis "El Tiante" Tiant (1965 Topps #145)
The Cuban-born Tiant is in many observers' minds a long-time Hall of Fame snub. Tiant is a three-time All-Star, two-time ERA champion, and has a 66.1 career WAR, putting him just above Hall of Famers Roy Halladay and Bob Feller and just beneath Don Sutton and Jim Palmer. Tiant finished with 229 wins, a 3.30 ERA, 2,416 strikeouts, and 3,486.1 innings pitched. It's also higher than Juan Marichal's.
He pitched a masterful Game 1 in the 1975 World Series for the Boston Red Sox and was on the hook for the loss in Game 6 until the famous Carl Yastrzemski "stay fair" home run that forced a Game 7.
Tiant's rookie card in high grade isn't cheap. His card has been graded 1,282 times by PSA, resulting in five PSA 10s and 49 PSA 9s. The most recent PSA 10 sold for $5,520, and a PSA 9 recently sold for $2,024. A PSA 7 recently sold for $135. Oh, and his name is pronounced "Louie Tee-ant,” not ‘Louis Taint.’
2. Juan "The Dominican Dandy" Marichal (1961 Topps #417)
Marichal is a ten-time All-Star, won one ERA title, and finished with a 2.89 ERA in 3,507 innings pitched. In a ten-year stretch from 1962 to 1971, Marichal was one of baseball's best pitchers. His greatness is somewhat forgotten because he only appeared in two postseason games, pitching a total of 12 innings with a 1.50 ERA.
Marichal has 243 career wins, 2,303 strikeouts, 244 complete games, and 52 shutouts. In 1983, he was the first Latin-American pitcher inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Marichal's 1961 Topps rookie card is one of the most sought-after vintage cards in perfect condition. It's been graded 4,078 times by PSA, resulting in six PSA 10s and 92 PSA 9s. A PSA 10 last sold in 2022 for $89,249. The most recent PSA 9 sale was for $2,760. A PSA 7 recently sold for $338.
1. Pedro "El Grande" Martínez (1991 Uppder Deck Final Edition #2F)
Pedro Martínez is the greatest Latin-American pitcher of all time. He is an eight-time All-Star, won five ERA titles, three Cy Young awards, and helped the Boston Red Sox break the "Curse of the Bambino" when the Red Sox won the World Series in 2004, the club's first since 1918.
Martínez finished with a 2.93 career ERA, pitching through baseball's steroid era, while compiling 3,154 strikeouts, 219 wins, and 46 complete games. His 2000 season was one of the most dominant ever, when he finished with a 1.74 ERA, four shutouts, and 284 strikeouts, coming after a 1999 season in which he won the pitching triple crown.
Martínez's 1991 Upper Deck rookie card has been graded 26,371 times by PSA, with 5,135 grading as Gem Mint. His rookie card was printed at the peak of the junk wax era. As a result, it is a very affordable card in perfect condition. The most recent PSA 10 sale was for $68 on eBay.
Honorable Mention: Bartolo "Big Sexy" Colón, Fernando "El Toro" Valenzuela
Horacio is an avid sports card collector and writes about trending card auctions and news across several major hobby sites, including Sports Collectors Daily and Collectibles on SI.
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