Three Top National League Rookie of the Year Contenders and Their Top Cards
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Rookie baseball players like JJ Wetherholt, Sal Stewart, and Nolan McClean offer excitement for their teams and baseball card collectors alike. Their exceptional play during their rookie seasons has put them all into contention for the National League Rookie of the Year award. We look at some of their best cards, which have already sparked interest among hobbyists.
St. Louis Cardinals infielder, JJ Wetherholt; Cincinnati Reds infielder Sal Stewart; and pitcher, Nolan McClean for the New York Mets; are all starting their MLB careers very well and bringing fans and collectors something great to watch. We take a look at some of their cards to spotlight some options for collectors looking to make these star rookies part of their card collections.
The Current Favorite: JJ Wetherholt, St. Louis Cardinals
JJ Wetherholt was selected No. 7 in the 1st round of the 2024 MLB draft by the St. Louis Cardinals after a stellar collegiate career at West Virginia. It didn't take him long to make an impact in the big leagues. He hit a home run in his first game and a walk-off-home run in his third game as a big league player to start the 2026 season. He has continued his top-notch play and is the current favorite for NL ROY.
His top card sales are dominated by versions of the 2025 Bowman Chrome Prospect Autograph cards. His top sale is a Red Refractor Auto /5 in a BGS 9, whichsold for $14,989 according to Card Ladder.
Another, more affordably priced rookie card for Wetherholt, comes from the 2026 Topps Baseball Series 2 set and is a short print card with one selling for $26.95 on July 16, 2026 through eBay according to Card Ladder and is shown above.
Also available in this set is a super short print card which sold for $137.50 on July 15th per Card Ladder information, and is shown below.
Not Far Behind: Sal Stewart, Cincinnati Reds
Sal Stewart was selected #32 overall in the 2022 MLB draft by the Cincinnati Reds and was called up to the big leagues in September of 2025. He was selected to his first MLB All-Star Game in 2026.
The top sale for a Sal Stewart card was his 2022 Bowman Draft Chrome-Superfractor and a 1-of-1 for $20,000 on April 15th. The Reds have found another key young piece to their roster with Sal Stewart. He is giving Reds fans and card collectors something to get excited about as he advances in his early career.
In Contention: Nolan McLean, New York Mets
The 2026 MLB season has rounded into form, with the All-Star Game in the rearview mirror and plenty of teams hoping to either continue their winning trend or turn things around for the final months of the season. For either situation your team may find itself in, it is the rookies who provide hope for the future.
For the Mets, it is fair to say their season hasn't brought them what they have hoped for yet, but their young pitcher Nolan McLean is a huge bright spot nonetheless. Baseball card collectors are also excited to add this young talent to their collections, and we share a couple of good options here.
This 2023 Bowman Chrome Draft Superfractor Auto 1-of-1 Nolan McLean BGS 9.5, shown above, sold for $50,400 according to Card Ladder. The card shows the now full-time pitcher up to bat. McLean was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2023 draft by the New York Mets as a talented two-way player.
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D. Allen Thompson is a contributing collectibles writer with eclectic tastes. He provides enthusiastic commentary on the ever-evolving world of trading cards against the backdrop of the broader historical, economic, and societal contexts in which they exist. He is on a journey to find fascinating stories and meet interesting people while using trading cards as the guideposts to lead the way to the American Dream.