Top 5 2026 Baseball Rookies whose cards you should be buying

Speculation has always been part of the hobby. Collecting a rookie and hoping they become a Hall of Famer is one of the most enjoyable parts of collecting, and that will never change. Savvy collectors know most rookie card bets don’t pay off. For every Aaron Judge, there are plenty of Bubba Starlings. That being said, speculating is fun. (As long as you don't spend more than you can afford to lose.)

No sport offers more upside for speculation than baseball, especially with the rise of First Bowman cards. This article look ahead at next year's class and ranks the top 5 baseball rookies set to make their professional debut in 2026 and highlights a pre-rookie card for each player. (All of these players qualify as “rookies” in the baseball card world. They were called up too late in 2025 to appear in last year’s flagship rookie sets.)

5. Cam Schlittler (New York Yankees, P, 24 years old)

Pre-Rookie Card to Look For: 2025 Bowman Chrome #CPA-CSC Prospect Auto Refractor /499 RAW (Last Sold for $171.39 on November 3, 2025)

Prospect Ranking: Schlittler was the 10th ranked Yankees Prospect according to MLB Pipeline. The 6’6” pitcher out of Walpole, Massachusetts has immense potential due to his smooth, repeatable delivery and a fastball that touches 101 mph.

2025 Review: He had a rapid rise through the minors in 2025. With Double-A Somerset Patriots, Schlittler had a 2.38 ERA with 64 strikeouts over 53.0 innings. He was quickly promoted to Triple -A, then made his big-league debut with the Yankees on July 9. In 14 starts, he posted an impressive 2.96 ERA and a 4-3 record with 84 strikeouts over 73.0 innings.

2026 Rookie Card Outlook: He will receive plenty of hype and his card prices will be high due to his incredible playoff performance vs. the Red Sox. Schlittler threw eight scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts and no walks, setting an MLB postseason record. Playing in the massive New York market with the Yankees will help drive up his 2026 rookie card prices. He will have to perform like he did last season for his prices not to crater.

Player Comparison: Chris Sale (Both are tall, lanky, with high velocity on their fastballs)

4. Walker Jenkins (Minnesota Twins, OF, 20 years old)

Pre-Rookie Card to Look For: 2024 Bowman Chrome #CPA-WJ Prospect Auto PSA 10 (Last Sold for $246 on October 26, 2025)

Prospect Ranking: Jenkins is currently the 10th ranked prospect by MLB Pipeline and the #1 prospect in the Twins organization. He has high-end potential with plus power, fielding, and baserunning.

2025 Review: Jenkins was named the Twins 2025 Minor League Player of the Year after hitting .309 with a .912 OPS in 52 games at Double-A Wichita. After the impressive stint in Double-A, Jenkins became the first Twins prospect promoted above Double-A during his age-20 season in a decade.

2026 Rookie Card Outlook: Most expect Jenkins to start the season in Triple-A, but a strong start in the minors could mean an early call up. Some project him as the eventual starting left fielder in Minnesota. If Jenkins has a strong spring training, his cards will shoot up in anticipation of an early call-up.

Player Comparison: Larry Walker (a comparison made by former Twins player Doug Mientkiewicz due to similar lefty swings and power potential)

3. Trey Yesavage (Toronto Blue Jays, P, 22 years old)

Pre-Rookie Card to Look For: 2024 Bowman Chrome #CPA-TY Prospect Auto PSA 10 (Last Sold for $713 on November 2, 2025)

Prospect Ranking: Yesavage is currently the 26th ranked prospect by MLB Pipeline and the #1 prospect in the Blue Jays organization. With three plus pitches, above average size, and a “bulldog mentality” he has all the makings of a future ace.

2025 Review: Yesavage had a storybook 2025, making is way through all four minor league levels before dominating in his MLB debut and playoffs. Across his minor league stops, Yesavage posted a 5–1 record with a 3.12 ERA, striking out 160 batters in 98.0 innings. In six postseason games (five starts), he recorded a 3.58 ERA with 39 strikeouts over 27.2 innings, helping the Blue Jays reach the World Series.

2026 Rookie Card Outlook: Yesavage’s cards will be highly sought after right away, which is unusual for a rookie starting pitcher. He will not quite reach Paul Skenes level hype, but he may get closer to 2024 Paul Skenes prices than people think. Savvy collectors won’t buy his cards right away, since they are likely to fall in price mid-season.

Player Comparison: Justin Verlander (Yesavage's high, over-the-top arm angle, resulting in a release point of 7.09 feet, is nearly identical to Verlander's, who measures 7.10)

2. Samuel Basallo (Baltimore Orioles, C/1B, 21 years old)

Pre-Rookie Card to Look For: 2023 Bowman Chrome #CPA-SB Prospect Auto PSA 10 (Last Sold for $158 on October 29, 2025)

Prospect Ranking: Basallo is currently the 7th ranked prospect by MLB Pipeline and the #1 prospect in the Orioles organization. He is projected by many to be a 30+ homer, middle of the order bat.

2025 Review: Basallo won the Orioles 2025 Minor League Player Of The Year by hitting 23 home runs in 76 Triple-A games. He was called up to the Orioles late in the season and hit just .165 with 4 homers in 31 games. He signed an eight-year, $67 million extension with the Orioles though, an indication that Basallo is going to be a big part of the future plans in Baltimore.

2026 Rookie Card Outlook: Basallo is expected to play some catcher, first base, and DH for the Orioles in 2026. He doesn’t have a clear path to a full-time role just yet, but his bat may be too good for the Orioles not to find a spot for him early in 2026. His cards should begin to rise as we get closer to Spring Training

Player Comparison: Salvador Perez (due to his body type and power potential)

1. Roman Anthony (Boston Red Sox, OF, 21 years old)

Pre-Rookie Card to Look For: 2023 Bowman Chrome Prospect Auto PSA 10 (Last Sold for $1,200 on October 21, 2025)

Prospect Ranking: Before being called up to the Red Sox mid-season in 2025, Anthony was the 2nd ranked prospect in the Red Sox organization and ranked top 35 overall by MLB Pipeline. He was the CBS Sports’ top overall prospect.

2025 Review: Anthony was called up to the Red Sox in June and boasted an impressive .859 OPS in 71 games. He is advanced hitter with strong discipline. In the minors he ranked in the 90th percentile for both exit velocity and in-zone contact percentage.

2026 Rookie Card Outlook: Anthony is the most likely 2026 rookie to achieve superstardom. His prices will be high from the start due to his name recognition and playing for a big-market team. To sustain these initial prices, he must surpass his already impressive 2025 numbers. He will likely bat leadoff for the Red Sox like he did in 2025.

Player Comparison: Fred Lynn (Lynn compared Anthony's well-rounded skillset to his own, due to Anthony's high baseball IQ and overall offensive potential)

More Rookies to Look Out For in 2026:

Felnin Celesten- Seattle Mariners, Shortstop.

Leo De Vries- Oakland Athletics, Shortstop

Konnor Griffin- Pittsburgh Pirates, Shortstop/Outfielder

Luke Keaschall- Minnesota Twins, 2nd Baseman

Jac Caglianone- Kansas City Royals, Right Fielder/First Baseman