Shohei Ohtani's Topps cards get new addition with upcoming release of Dodgers superstar's autographed ultrarare '50/50 Club' collection
Baseball card collectors everywhere will soon get the chance to add some major Shohei Ohtani cards from Topps. To commemorate his unprecedented 50/50 season, the card company has debuted some ultrarare cards for the club Ohtani founded. He signed the three cards, adding incredible value to the collector's items.
Each one is a one-of-one card, with a piece of memorabilia embedded in them: his New Balance logo, the MLB emblem and more.
That alone, plus the sheer rarity, makes these cards extremely valuable. The LA Dodgers star's signature on all three only increases its value. Whichever collector ends up with these will have something truly special.
Ohtani entered this club following a historic outing. Nearing both 50 steals and 50 home runs, something no one had ever done in baseball history, Ohtani went 6-for-6 with three home runs, multiple stolen bases and 10 RBIs on Sept. 19 against the Miami Marlins.
Previously, the most anyone had done was 40 home runs and 40 steals in a season. In 2023, Ronald Acuna Jr. did something unprecedented with steals as well, nabbing 70 bases with 40 home runs.
Shohei Ohtani's coach praises Shohei Ohtani's base-stealing work
Shohei Ohtani's previous career high in stolen bases was 26, which he achieved in 2021 with the LA Angels. Given that he was pitching during the other seasons of his career which limited his ability to steal, he more than doubled that in 2024.
During Spring Training, Dodgers coach Clayton McCullough saw that Ohtani wanted to put more work into his baserunning.
“I got the sense during Spring Training that Shohei, this past season only really focusing as an offensive player, he had more of an interest and willingness to push the limits some on the base stealing," McCollough said, via the MLB Network.
"Just tried to develop a rapport with him and came to find out this guy is just a baseball rat. He enjoyed watching video. I think I would just try to do my best to unearth some things for him, bring it to light, and it felt like a partnership as that season progressed."
It resulted in a 59-steal season and a potential third career MVP for Ohtani, who also gets some ultrarare Topps cards for his work.