The smell of fresh-cut grass fills the air, and the crack of the bat harkens the arrival of spring training. As players lace up their cleats, collectors worldwide are gearing up to uncover the hidden gems that might just make their card collections gleam with gold. As the 2025 MLB season draws ever closer, now is the prime time to scout out those overlooked baseball cards with the potential to rocket in value.
Investing in sports cards is part art, part science, and a whole lot of crystal ball gazing. With player statistics, potential, and market trends as the guiding stars, collectors can fish out diamonds from the rough. This year, four players boast cards that shrewd collectors should eye, each offering a tantalizing blend of promising performance and tantalizing affordability.
Let’s dive headfirst into this treasure trove and uncover which cards deserve a proud place in any serious collection.
**Brandon Pfaadt – Arizona Diamondbacks**
First up on our card safari is Brandon Pfaadt of the Arizona Diamondbacks. His numbers might not initially leap off the stat sheet—like a cat crouching in the corner of your eye—but oh boy, does he hold promise. Across 277.2 innings, Pfaadt’s 5.06 ERA might appear underwhelming, but numbers tell a story beyond the obvious. Dig deeper into his 2024 stats: a 4.71 ERA brightens into a 3.78 xERA and 3.61 FIP, showing a hidden robustness beneath the surface. With 9.04 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9, Pfaadt’s ability to dominate the strike zone and chalk up the punch-outs blooms into clear view.
If home runs can be corralled under his command, he’s set to become a linchpin in the D-Backs’ rotation without the weighty expectations of being the ace, thanks to high-caliber colleagues Corbin Burnes, Zac Gallen, and Merrill Kelly. Picture this as a scenic tour through a potential gold mine—and he’s still a spring chicken in the market! Rookie cards like the 2023 Topps Chrome and the elusive 2020 Bowman Draft offer collectors enticing entry points.
**Jared Jones – Pittsburgh Pirates**
From desert valleys to steel city skies, the Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Jared Jones has flown under collectors’ radar. In 2024, his stats wove hints of brilliance: 4.14 ERA (with a more flattering 4.05 xERA), and an aggressive slash line of 9.7 K/9 and 2.88 BB/9. Jones expanded his arsenal, introducing a two-seamer that pirouettes gracefully alongside his fiery fastball and slick slider during spring.
The thrill-invoking fact? You can snag the Topps Chrome Rookie Auto /499 for a paltry $30—practically pocketing potential before it soars. Good health and command refinement could transform Jones from a simmering phenomenon into a full-blown card market blaze.
**Heston Kjerstad – Baltimore Orioles**
Wending our way eastward, we find ourselves amidst the bountiful harvest of Baltimore’s prospect land. Heston Kjerstad, a name circling under the radar, has dominated at every minor league level with resounding batsmanship. His 2024 stats crescendoed at an impressive .303/.401/.584, accompanied by 16 homers, wrapping RBIs and runs aplenty like early Christmas gifts.
Caught in a jam-packed Orioles lineup, regular playing time has been elusive for Kjerstad. However, if given the stage—perhaps as a DH—watch those cards’ marketable value mushroom. Recent sales showcase the 2024 Bowman Chrome Rookie Gold Refractor Auto /50 PSA 10 hopping hands for a mere $150. Snooze and lose, my friends; this full-throttle prospect is ripe for the picking!
**Kerry Carpenter – Detroit Tigers**
The Motor City rumbles to life in the heart of Detroit Tigers’ lineup with Kerry Carpenter. Perfecting the art of wildly underrated power-hitting, Carpenter packs a punch with 44 home runs in just 236 games. After wrestling back issues in 2024, his resilience still clinched 18 dingers over 87 games, paired with growth in hard-hit rates and exit velocity.
With the Tigers’ batting brigade providing a robust lineup, Carpenter’s RBI opportunities should stalk around each corner like an insistent shadow. Rookie autos, like the 2023 Topps Chrome series, remain criminally underpriced. Collectors must steer their attention carpe rectius—seize what is rightly theirs—before a breakout season spells the bell.
Each new MLB season heralds sleeper talents whisked out of anonymity and into the spotlight. Now is the prime moment to wrangle these undervalued cards before the winds of change and subsequent trending hashtags lift their valuations skywards. For card enthusiasts, these hidden gems beckon the savvy and ambitious to lay their bets before market tide turns golden. Latch on now, and watch as the stories and values of these players chart an impressive course throughout 2025.
