Baseball players are just like the rest of us when it comes to collecting sports cards—some chase the thrill, some flip for profit, and others hold onto their treasures for life. One Philadelphia Phillies pitcher, Matt Strahm, earning a cool $7.5 million this season, has firmly placed himself in the last category.

His prized possession? A 1-of-1 Gunnar Henderson rookie card—a rare, highly coveted piece featuring the Baltimore Orioles’ rising superstar.

But unlike the flippers who chase quick profits, Strahm has made one thing clear- he’s never selling. “I told my wife how much it’s worth, and she just laughed,” Strahm said on the recent Foul Territory episode. “She said, ‘It’s worth nothing because you’re never going to sell it.’ And she’s right. It’s worth whatever my daughter sells it for after I’m in the grave.”

Matt Strahm’s stance flies in the face of the booming sports card market, where 1-of-1 rookie cards of potential stars can fetch massive sums. Henderson, the reigning AL Rookie of the Year, is already seen as a future cornerstone of the Orioles. If he evolves into a top-tier player of the MVP title, the price of that card could skyrocket. But, for Strahm, collecting isn’t about the cash—it’s more about the bond with the game and the excitement of owning a slice of baseball’s past.

There’s the hype game, and then there’s just knowing what’s worth keeping. Strahm said, “You don’t let go of guys like Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Mike Trout, and Bryce Harper.” Those are the cards you keep forever. Henderson could end up in that group, and I’ll be glad I held onto it.

It’s not uncommon for MLB players to collect cards of their peers. Many even trade amongst themselves, hunting for their own rookie cards or those of close friends. Some players buy back their own rare cards at auctions, adding a personal connection to their professional achievements.

MLB stars join Matt Strahm in the ultimate card chase

Strahm isn’t alone. Many MLB players are serious collectors, hunting for cards featuring themselves, teammates, or childhood idols. Some go as far as chasing their memorabilia items, too. Justin Verlander stands out as one of the collectors in the sport—he began his collection in childhood and continues to seek out gems today, including cards featuring his own remarkable career achievements. For him, collecting isn’t a hobby but a means to keep the heart of baseball’s past beating strong; he values how these cards immortalize the legends of the game into pieces of history.

Additionally, Julio Rodríguez, a rising talent for the Seattle Mariners, holds a bond with collecting cards from his earlier days in the Dominican Republic with his father by his side on card-hunting adventures—a cherished memory for him growing up. Now that he’s playing in the major leagues himself, he dreams that young collectors will one day seek out his cards. Josh Jung is another player from the Texas Rangers who also shares a love for collecting cards; he enjoys this hobby both as a fan and as a player.

In essence, these athletes see cards as more than just pieces of cardboard; they’re tangible connections to the sport’s greatest moments. Now the question for you is: What rare cards might still be hiding in the collections of today’s biggest baseball stars?

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