For the astute collector, one factor instantly stands out concerning the 2017 Topps baseball card set design:
For the second 12 months in a row, Topps ditched the borders for its flagship baseball launch…
All through its a long time of printing baseball playing cards earlier than 2016, Topps all the time had borders of some form, often white.
Many collectors appreciated the “traditional” look that it created.
However as quickly as 2017 Topps Collection 1 baseball started hitting retailer cabinets, collectors knew the corporate’s shift to fashionable design was right here to remain.
Moreover, any controversy concerning the design was quickly largely forgotten due to a sure Yankee rookie slugger’s chase towards the historical past books.
That is proper, the Aaron Choose rookie is the important thing to the 700-card guidelines.
However that is not all there’s to love about this set.
And on this information, we’ll check out the 15 most beneficial.
Let’s bounce proper in!
2017 Topps #287 Aaron Choose Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $150
From 2013 first-round choose to 2017 AL Rookie-of-the-12 months, Aaron Choose ripped the American League to shreds with a slugging assault as but unseen from a first-year participant.
The 25-year-old proper fielder obliterated Mark McGwire’s three-decade-old rookie house run file with 52, additionally breaking Joe DiMaggio’s first-year franchise mark.
Choose additionally led the American League in runs scored (123) and walks (122) whereas ending second in RBIs (114), on-base share (.422), and slugging share (.627).
He struck out an MLB-worst 208 occasions, however the occasions he did make contact had been too majestic for it to matter.
If not for Jose Altuve’s huge season in Houston (and the Astros’ subsequent seven-game win over New York within the ALCS), Choose would simply have change into the third participant to win AL MVP and Rookie-of-the-12 months in the identical season (Fred Lynn, Ichiro Suzuki).
His comfort?
A rookie season of the identical historic caliber as these put collectively by the likes of Jackie Robinson and Mike Trout.
2017 Topps #380 Albert Pujols
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $40
Albert Pujols’ decade-long stint with the Los Angeles Angels was marred by declining manufacturing and a spate of lower-body accidents.
Nevertheless, there have been nonetheless loads of moments to remind us precisely why he is probably the most embellished right-handed sluggers in MLB historical past.
A type of moments got here in 2017 when Pujols took his spot within the uber-exclusive 600 House Run Membership.
After feeling the warmth for sixteen homerless at-bats, the hulking Angels DH crushed an impressive grand slam off Minnesota’s Ervin Santana to change into simply the ninth 600-homer hitter ever.
“I am simply glad to be on that record,” Pujols stated. “You have a look at all of the gamers that come by means of the league, to play so lengthy to be quantity 9. It is fairly particular.”
Pujols joined fellow Dominican Republic native Sammy Sosa as the one non-native gamers to crack 600 and the youngest participant at 37 years and 139 days.
It was one heck of a celebration throughout a 12 months with little else to cheer for.
Pujols put collectively his worst 12 months to this point for the 80-82 Angels, setting new profession lows in batting common (.241), on-base share (.286), and slugging share (.386).
He hit into an MLB-worst 26 double performs and posted an OPS+ under league common (80) for the primary time.
2017 Topps #150 Miguel Cabrera
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $35
The Detroit Tigers took a pointy, speedy tumble into the baseball gutters through the 2017 season.
Detroit’s fall coincided with the tip of Miguel Cabrera’s time among the many greatest within the recreation.
Laboring by means of two herniated lumbar discs and missing the fluidity that made him a generational hitter, Cabrera seemed like a poor copy of his former Corridor-of-Fame self.
After seven seasons with a batting common of .313 or higher and 4 batting titles, the 34-year-old first baseman/DH dropped to a career-worst .249 in 2017.
He additionally set new profession lows in on-base share (.329), slugging share (.399), OPS+ (93), and RBIs (60).
Cabrera soldiered by means of for a Tigers crew that went from playoff contenders to an MLB-worst 64-98, enjoying most of his 130 video games in important ache.
It is a resolution he’d specific remorse for a 12 months later whereas rehabbing a hamstring damage.
“I went by means of that final 12 months, so I do not wish to do the identical factor,” Cabrera stated. “No person appreciates you while you play harm, so I will take my time and play once I’m good. I performed harm loads of years right here in Detroit. They do not recognize that.”
2017 Topps #161 Mookie Betts
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $35
Mookie Betts set a sky-high commonplace for himself in 2016 with a glowing six-month run to an AL MVP runner-up end.
In 2018, he’d get that MVP, main the Boston Pink Sox to the crew’s third post-curse World Collection win.
In between these two years was a 2017 marketing campaign that, to many, was a relative disappointment.
Let’s emphasize the phrase “relative.”
Betts remained one of the best defensive proper fielder within the recreation, snagging his second consecutive AL Gold Glove.
He additionally earned his second All-Star spot and a sixth-place MVP end with a .264 common, 24 house runs, 46 doubles, 26 stolen bases, 101 runs scored, and 102 RBIs in 153 video games.
Alternatively, 2017 stands as Betts’ worst statistical exhibiting throughout his decade-long Massive League profession.
His .803 OPS and 108 OPS+ stay profession nadirs, and his .213 common in opposition to the Yankees was amplified by the hate-filled nature of the rivalry.
Regardless, he had a robust 12 months for the 93-win AL East champs and one which set the stage for his 2018 breakthrough.
2017 Topps #50 Clayton Kershaw
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $30
Was Clayton Kershaw one of the best twenty-something hurler in Main League Baseball historical past?
The case is very compelling.
Kershaw completed his twenties along with his sixth top-three Cy Younger end, changing into the primary participant to notch six earlier than his thirtieth birthday.
He tied for the MLB lead in wins (18) regardless of lacking 5 weeks with decrease again tightness and led the Nationwide League in ERA (2.31) for the fifth time in seven years.
(It will have been six if he’d certified for the ERA title in 2016).
The 29-year-old lefty paced the Majors in ERA+ (179) for the fourth time and Ok/BB ratio (6.73) for the primary time since his 2014 MVP marketing campaign.
Kershaw completed his third decade on Earth with three Cy Youngs, seven All-Star nominations, an MVP, and a Gold Glove.
You may throw rocks at his iffy postseason resume all you need.
But, Kershaw’s 2010s stand agency as among the best a long time by any pitcher ever, full cease.
2017 Topps #288 Joey Votto
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $30
2017 Topps #34 Bryce Harper
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $25
Washington Nationals proper fielder Bryce Harper narrowly missed out on his second consecutive journey to the playoffs with a bone bruise in his proper knee.
Maybe it could have harm much less if he hadn’t come again.
In the midst of a wet August contest with the clock previous 10:00 pm, Harper slipped throughout a soaked first base in San Francisco and dropped like a rock, clutching his knee in agony.
The 24-year-old wunderkind initially feared for the worst.
“After all, you are going to suppose the worst, and I am one of many worst at it,” Harper stated. “I feel I will die each time I’ve a stomachache.”
Fortunately, age and sturdiness had been on Harper’s facet.
The previous NL Rookie-of-the-12 months and MVP returned in late September for the back-to-back NL East champs.
It was an opportunity to rewrite final 12 months’s wrongs.
The Nats had been ousted in a five-game NLDS loss to the Dodgers in 2016, with Harper scuffling to a .235 common and .294 slugging share.
He had an opportunity to get his revenge within the 2017 ALDS in opposition to the Cubs, but it surely wasn’t to be.
The now five-time All-Star hit a paltry .212 in opposition to Chicago (4-for-19) in yet one more five-game defeat.
2017 Topps #341 Alex Bregman Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $25
The 2017 World Collection was when the Houston Astros’ celebrity infield duo turned a trio.
Quickly-to-be AL MVP Jose Altuve and All-Star shortstop Carlos Correa dominated the headlines heading into Houston’s Fall Traditional showdown with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
And, rightfully so.
Correa and Altuve had been the twin heartbeat of the Majors’ most potent scoring assault, an offense that tallied 898 runs, almost 40 forward of the second-place New York Yankees.
Because the Astros’ center infield went, the remainder of the crew adopted.
By the tip of October, although, Alex Bregman was proper up there alongside the All-Star combo.
The 23-year-old third baseman had an distinctive first full season, slashing .284/.352/.475 with 19 homers, 39 doubles, 17 stolen bases, 88 runs scored, and 71 RBIs in 155 video games.
But, within the postseason, he actually took the bull by the proverbial horns.
Bregman hit 4 huge homers through the crew’s title run, together with the game-winning single in Houston’s breathtaking Sport 5 World Collection win.
He additionally performed sterling protection at third, trying each bit the longer term MVP candidate he’d change into.
2017 Topps #350 David Ortiz
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $25
If David Ortiz had returned to the Boston Pink Sox for yet one more 12 months in 2017, 2018 might have been the fruits of back-to-back World Collection titles.
That is how good David Ortiz was throughout his 2016 farewell tour.
The veteran DH had a season on par along with his mid-2000s peak, main all hitters in slugging share (.620), OPS (1.021), and doubles (48).
He received the second Hank Aaron Award of his 20-year profession whereas placing up maybe one of the best 40-or-older marketing campaign by anybody not named Ted Williams.
Massive Papi might simply have reversed course and parlayed his heroics right into a profitable return payday.
He opted to remain true to his phrase, calling it a day after a sixth-place MVP end.
“Whenever you have a look at a man who’s about to retire, you do not suppose he would retire with numbers like that,” stated Ortiz. “However I used to be carried out, man. I ran out of gasoline.”
Nursing a litany of accidents, together with a proper Achilles ailment that dogged him for a half-decade, Ortiz eased into retirement earlier than becoming a member of the MLB on Fox studio crew in October 2017 as a part-time analyst.
2017 Topps #450 Justin Verlander
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $25
2017 Topps #644 Jose Altuve
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $25
The Houston Astros’ 2017 World Collection championship will all the time be controversial at greatest and a black mark at worst.
In January 2020, Main League Baseball confirmed the main points of a sign-stealing scandal during which the Astros used unlawful cameras and a trash-can-banging communication system to remain one step forward of opponents.
It is not the primary occasion of dishonest within the recreation and will not be the final, however the high-profile nature of the offense makes it that rather more evident.
And it casts an apparent pall on Altuve’s league-best exploits.
The shortest participant to win MVP since Phil Rizzuto in 1950, Altuve’s award win was the apex of a redemption arc that began when he was despatched house from a Venezuelan tryout in his teenagers.
The 27-year-old second baseman led the Majors in batting (.346) whereas main the AL in hits (204).
He additionally positioned first within the American League in multi-hit video games (59), second in runs scored (112), third in on-base share (.410), third in stolen bases (32), and third in OPS (.957).
Comply with that up with a stellar postseason that included a molten-hot ALDS efficiency in opposition to Boston (.533 AVG, 1.765 OPS), and it is clear that Altuve earned his MVP win.
That’s, it was clear earlier than the Astros obtained caught red-handed.
2017 Topps #699 Ichiro Suzuki
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $25
2017 Topps #20 Mike Trout
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $20
2017 was one other implausible 12 months for Mike Trout.
It was additionally a warning signal.
Let’s get the nice out of the best way first.
The Los Angeles Angels heart fielder saved his early-career bid to affix baseball’s Mount Rushmore operating full steam forward, main the Majors in OPS+ (186) and OPS (1.071) for the second time in three years.
He added a .306 common, 33 house runs, 25 doubles, 22 stolen bases, 92 runs scored, 94 walks, and 72 RBIs.
And he did all of this whereas enjoying lower than three-quarters of the Angels’ regular-season contests (114).
It is totally outstanding.
It is also the place the unhealthy information is available in.
In Could, Trout tore a thumb ligament diving into second base headfirst.
He missed 39 video games earlier than coming again to wreak havoc on AL pitching.
In a testomony to his all-out strategy, Trout christened his comeback recreation with one other headfirst slide into second.
“I am not altering the best way I play,” Trout stated.
After three comparatively wholesome seasons, Trout has suffered 4 extra main accidents in 4 seasons from 2021 to 2024.
His pedal-to-the-floor type stays a marvel.
It might even be his Achilles heel.
2017 Topps #25 Giancarlo Stanton
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $20
In 2017, Miami Marlins proper fielder Giancarlo Stanton went on a home-run hitting spree unmatched since Barry Bonds’ record-setting 2001 marketing campaign.
The 27-year-old slugger bludgeoned an MLB-leading 59 house runs, changing into the eighth hitter in MLB historical past to succeed in that whole.
It was essentially the most by anybody since Bonds hit 73 in 2001.
Stanton led the Majors in RBIs (132) and slugging share (.631) and topped off his all-around brilliance with a point out as an NL Gold Glove finalist.
It was an eye-opening season.
And it was barely sufficient to win MVP within the fourth-closest vote of all time.
The California native beat out Cincinnati’s Joey Votto by a mere two factors.
Six gamers acquired first-place votes within the NL balloting, essentially the most since 1979 when Willie Stargell and Keith Hernandez shared MVP honors.
“It is virtually like, your begin from scratch second,” Stanton stated. “You keep in mind the ideas you had as a child, and when occasions had been good and unhealthy as a professional and within the Minors and all the things build up, you simply lastly give due to that.”
2017 Topps #87 Dansby Swanson Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $20
For 2 months of the MLB season, Dansby Swanson seemed like the way forward for the shortstop place in Atlanta.
As for the opposite 4 months?
Not a lot.
Swanson’s first full 12 months because the Atlanta Braves major SS was a chore for him and people watching.
He hit an alarming .156 in April and remained beneath .200 (.185) after a less-than-mediocre Could.
The 23-year-old former first-round choose discovered his footing with a .306 June however crashed and burned with a .125 common in July.
He went again up in August (.309) and proper again down in September (.231).
There was no consistency and never a lot to put in writing house about.
Swanson’s protection was additionally a legal responsibility.
He dedicated 20 errors in 1202 innings at quick and posted -4 Defensive Runs Saved.
A demotion would not have been out of the query if Swanson wasn’t suiting up for a rebuilding Braves franchise slogging by means of its fourth consecutive shedding season (72-90).
As an alternative, Swanson took his lumps in plain view.
He ended his nightmarish marketing campaign, slashing .232/.312/.324 with six house runs and 51 RBIs in 144 video games.
2017 Topps Baseball Playing cards In Evaluation
Whereas there are various great-looking playing cards contained in the 700-card guidelines, the Aaron Choose and Alex Bregman rookie playing cards proceed to be the preferred.
Each have continued to provide at elite ranges, particularly Choose.
And Bregman already has a few World Collection rings.
Dansby Swanson continues to be a strong rookie card as properly, although his recognition has dwindled in recent times.
Collectors might also keep in mind different notable rookies like Andrew Benintendi and Yoan Moncada being extremely puffed up when this set first hit retailer cabinets.
Sadly, they don’t seem to be as fascinating today.
There have been fewer subsets within the guidelines than in 2016 Topps baseball, together with:
- League Leaders
- All-Star Rookies
- Award Winners
- Group Playing cards
The guidelines supplied the same old thrilling inserts, parallels, relics, and autograph playing cards as in related years.
Collectors might discover an autograph or relic in every 36-pack Pastime field and an autograph, relic and “manufactured relic” in every Pastime Jumbo field.
To assist commemorate David Ortiz’s retirement in 2016, Topps created ten completely different variations of his base card.
After all, the guidelines is plagued by every kind of variations of different gamers, a staple of most fashionable Topps baseball set designs.
Nevertheless, regardless of all of these issues, the Aaron Choose rookie card will all the time be the most important draw within the set.
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