Hobby Musings: 2022 MLB Preview with Ryan Cracknell – The MLB lockout caused a bit of a scare, but we will have a 2022 MLB season starting this week. While it’s great news for MLB fans as a whole, it’s also great news for collectors who will have a chance to see what this year’s rookie crop has to offer. I had the chance to catch up with Beckett’s Ryan Cracknell to get his thoughts on what this year could hold for the baseball trading card world.
KS: Ryan, we have a number of players in new places after an eventful MLB season. Good or bad, which player’s hobby market do you think was impacted most by where he ended up?
RC: I’m curious to see what happens with Freddie Freeman. In Atlanta, he had a big and passionate fan base. He was easy to love and it seemed like everyone there did. Ronald Acuna Jr. might be a bigger name, but Freeman was, arguably, the face of the franchise. His exit brought plenty of drama and, fair or not, the passionate Atlanta base seems to have moved on. Yes, he’s going to one of the biggest markets in the game but hobby-wise, Dodgers players need a little extra to build momentum sometimes.
KS: As we stand today, who is the most collectible player in baseball?
RC: Shohei Ohtani. Even before last year, his international following was big. But following his 2021 season, he became the face of baseball. A healthy Mike Trout could change that in a hurry.
KS: Who are some other players that you’ve noticed collectors have been gravitating more towards recently?
RC: This time of year, it’s a lot of the prospects. Take a look at any major Top 100 list and anyone near the top or those that made significant jumps in the rankings are being closely monitored.
KS: Who’s a player this year that you think could greatly improve his hobby stock and why?
RC: I’d look at players who are nearing milestones. Miguel Cabrera has a bunch. Considering his numbers, I wouldn’t disagree with anyone who says his cards are overlooked. Albert Pujols’s return to St. Louis will be another story for someone looking to cement their legacy. If you look at his numbers and where his cards are, there are probably some nice deals to be found.
KS: Rookies are one of the life bloods of the trading card world. Who are some of the top newcomers you think collectors should be keeping an eye on this season?
RC: Bobby Witt Jr. and Julio Rodriguez should be making their debuts this year. If they live up to expectations, there’s going to be some exciting baseball in Kansas City and Seattle.
KS: The hobby itself has underdone gone such a big boom over the past few years. What do you think is the state of the baseball card market in this new hobby world?
RC: I’m not a big fans of peaks and valleys. They can give the wrong impression of what the long-term looks like. I think we’re seeing something of a leveling off over the past year or two. Growth is still happening to a certain extent, but not at the rate we have seen. Collectors are getting a little pickier and supply is getting closer to reaching demand in some places.
KS: From a vintage standpoint, baseball seems to have the largest following by quite a bit. What is your assessment of the vintage baseball card market right now?
RC: I don’t think you can ever go wrong with vintage. Players’ careers are set, legacies established.
KS: I’m asking you to put your prediction hat on. What do you think will ultimately end up being the biggest story of the 2022 baseball card season?
RC: I think we’re already seeing it play out. Supply chain has caused a lot of havoc in the hobby as a whole. Baseball isn’t quite as bad as some other sports, but there are still a couple of 2021 products that are nearly a year late. When there are mass delays, there’s a trickle down as it impacts other products further down the road.
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Kelsey’s ability to bring hobby coverage to the mainstream sports fan has been a true asset. GTS is happy to feature his thoughts on collecting in Hobby Musings. The opinions expressed are his and do not necessarily reflect those of GTS Distribution.
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