Hobby Musings: Topps ready to bring collectors Ohtani cards and autographsHobby Musings: Topps ready to bring collectors Ohtani cards and autographsTopps landed one of the hottest rookies in 2018 by announcing they had signed Angels pitcher/hitter Shohei Ohtani to a trading card and autograph deal.  To find out a little more about what the company has planned for Ohtani’s cards this year, I got in touch with Topps’ Susan Lulgjuraj.  The following interview was conducted via email.

KS:  It’s been a couple of days since Topps announced their trading card and autograph deal with Shohei Ohtani. What kind of fan reaction and reception have you seen since that announcement?

SL: Baseball fans are really excited to collect Topps cards of Shohei Ohtani. He’s an international star that can pitch and hit. Everyone is so thrilled about his deal with Topps, they all want to know where can they get his first card. It’s coming soon.

KS:  There have been other big stars to come out of Japan like Ichiro and Yu Darvish. How are you seeing the craze for Ohtani compare and contrast to his predecessors from Japan?

SL: It’s been very similar in terms of people are looking forward to seeing what any highly touted player can do on the diamond. Ohtani has been different because he’s so diverse in what he can do. He’s player that is going to make an immediate impact for the Angels no matter where he is playing.

KS:  Getting a little more into the business side of it, what exactly does Ohtani’s agreement with the company entail?

SL: Topps will be producing the exclusive MLB-licensed trading card of Shohei Ohtani, including autographed trading cards.

KS: Let’s say you’re a fan at spring training who wants to try and get his autograph. Will he still be allowed autographs at practice?

SL: Players are allowed to sign for fans. It’s part of the ballpark-going experience. That will never change nor would we want it to.

KS:  Is Ohtani’s autograph deal only for cards or will you be featuring him on signed memorabilia as well?

SL: Right now, the deal is currently for trading cards.

KS: These will be his first MLB-licensed autographs, a contrast to most rookies who have already had several minor-league cards featured by Topps and other manufacturers. How much of a rarity is it to be able to essentially open the card market for a player like him with previous little exposure in the hobby?Hobby Musings: Topps ready to bring collectors Ohtani cards and autographs

SL: Essentially 99 percent players go through the minors and many of the top prospects are featured on Bowman cards. Occasionally, a few will make it to their Major League Baseball parent club without having a card, but more times than not, there is a Bowman card that predates the player’s rookie card. While it is rare, it’s not unheard of.

KS:  In that vein, Ohtani has already made his presence felt on Topps cards with over 17,000 copies of his TOPPS NOW card being sold. With that being said, what kind of impact are you expecting him to have on the baseball card market this season?

SL: Baseball fans want to collect cards of the best players, which includes Ohtani. With the addition of Ohtani to an already stacked presence of great young players around MLB, the excitement for baseball and baseball cards is going to continue.

KS:  He’s being billed as a two-way threat, and the Angels are saying he’ll get a chance to do both. With that in mind, how do you plan to portray Ohtani on his cards? Will he be a hitter, a pitcher or both?

SL: Topps is going to have fun with this and we have some really cool concepts fans will enjoy.

KS:  Topps announced his first pack-pulled card would be in time for his first spring training with the Angels. Can you reveal the product his first card will appear in, as well as when we’ll see his first autographed cards?

SL: Not yet. But soon.

KS:  Ohtani isn’t the only big rookie this year as Ronald Acuna and Gleyber Torres are also making a big splash on hobby radars. When it’s all said and done though, which one do you think will have the biggest hobby impact this season?

SL: There is no way to tell right now. We’re just excited to be able to give baseball fans cards of these players that will be in their collections for years to come.

Hobby Musings: Topps ready to bring collectors Ohtani cards and autographs

Kelsey Schroyer

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