Christian Yelich is one of the better-known players in the MLB. He came into the league as a first-round selection with impressive tools and striking good looks. Christian has also gained popularity because people like his mom (go ahead and Google her).
The best years of his career were quickly the 2018 and 2019 seasons when Christian was absolutely dominant. It was his first couple of seasons in Milwaukee after spending the early years with Miami. The player blossomed into the ultimate five-tool machine. He won battle titles, hit for power, and was a pretty good base stealer.
He hit an OPS+ of 164 and then 179. Or, if you prefer standard batting metrics, Yelich hit over 30 homers and hit above .300 in both seasons. In 2018, he even won the National League MVP. Then came in second behind Cody Bellinger (who has had a similar career arc). Needless to say, Christian was also an All-Star in both years.
A Tough Time for Christian Yelich - and his Rookie Cards
But the story of this left-fielder's career has yet to be a straightforward rise to stardom. It was from 2013-2019. The Brewers gave the talented youngster a massive nine-year contract extension worth $215 million in March 2020.
But after that, something happened, and Yelich started to regress. His numbers in 2020 were similar to where he was in his rookie season. People thought that was due to the shortened COVID season. And maybe it was. But his form didn’t recover after that. In terms of his offensive output, Yelich went from being the most productive player in baseball to barely being above average. A particularly steep fall.
Many expected a bounceback in 2021. But that never happened. You see, Christian had an unfortunate series of injuries. A lingering lower back malady ruined the start of the season, and Yelich never found his rhythm. Honestly, the player just didn’t look like the same guy who had dominated the game in 2018-19.
So, should you collect Christian Yelich's rookie cards?
If Yelich can never get back to top form, his cards will not be worth much in the long run. But there are some reasons for optimism. The 2023 season was quickly the best that Christian put up since his peak. The outfielder slashed .278/.370/.447 for a good OPS+ of 124. That put him back in the ranks of the strong players in the league, though not yet good enough to return to the elite.
The question you need to ask yourself with this guy is simple. Was his return to form in 2023 a fluke or the sign of an awakening giant? If Yelich can put together three more top-notch seasons, he can make a case for the Hall of Fame. And since the California boy is very popular in Milwaukee, he will have a solid fan base to drive up the value of Christian Yelich cards. The Brewers may not be the biggest market in America, but they are a passionate one.
Since prices are currently relatively low, this is the time to buy into Yelich if you believe in him.
2013 Topps Heritage Christian Yelich #H536 Rookie Card
A PSA 10 sold for $299
Christian is a handsome guy. It's almost unfair to be a five-tool player with model good looks. What is left for the rest of us, Yelich!? But the 2013 Topps Heritage Christian Yelich #H536 does not capture our man at his best. He looks almost cross-eyed here. The design is also nothing special. All of this does little to add to the base Heritage rookie card, which is already not a particularly desirable one. Therefore, you can get one of these cards for $20 nowadays.
2012 Bowman Draft Futures Game Relics /199 Christian Yelich Rookie Card Fgr-CY
A PSA 10 sold for $310
A lesser-known Christian Yelich rookie card and perhaps the only one with a relic. It's too bad the 2012 Bowman Draft Futures Game Relics /199 Christian Yelich Fgr-CY doesn’t have an auto. After all, it would be great to have a genuine RPA of the player. This card contains a relic from the All-Star Futures Game, which is an excellent patch. I am unsure why there is a crown here, but let's just roll with it. This attractive card can now be had for peanuts.
2012 Leaf Rize Draft Christian Yelich Rookie Auto Blank Back Proof 1/1
The (only) raw copy of this card is selling on eBay for $349
Leaf baseball cards are not usually the play. But here, we have one of those exceptions that proves the rule. The 2012 Leaf Rize Draft Christian Yelich Rookie Auto Blank Back Proof 1/1 is guaranteed to hold value because it is the only one of its kind. Like most Leaf designs, it has a certain charm. My favorite part is the tremendous contrast between the name's lettering and team and position.
2011 Topps Pro Debut Christian Yelich #53 (RED 1/1) RC
A PSA 10 sold for $420
The 2011 Topps Pro Debut is a forgotten minor league release from our friends at the biggest baseball card company in the world. It focuses on players close to their debut in the MLB. Believe it or not, this release is still around today. However, we are still determining why. The Christian Yelich card in question appeared a good two years before the young outfielder made his first appearance in “The Show” on July 23, 2013. The 2011 Topps Pro Debut Christian Yelich #53 (RED 1/1) has some potential value because of its scarcity. There is only one potential seller, so who knows if they are selling. But the current value of this card would be pretty low and could bounce back since it is a 1/1.
2013 Bowman Sterling Prospects Christian Yelich Rookie Card #BSPCY (AUTOGRAPH REFRACTOR)
A PSA 10 sold for $430
Don’t be frightened by the 2013 Bowman Sterling Prospects Christian Yelich #BSPCY (AUTOGRAPH REFRACTOR) price tag. It now costs about a third of that. Christian Yelich cards ain’t going for what they used to. The card has a clean and sleek look that will appeal to some. However, there is barely a trace of the Marlins and their logo on this item.
Meanwhile, it also has a sticker auto. The two combine to give the card a kind of Paini unlicensed baseball card vibe. That is not a good thing.
2013 Panini Select Christian Yelich RC #190 (AUTOGRAPH-PRIZM)
A PSA 10 sold for $499
When I think Select baseball rookie cards, no one ever said anything; maybe it's just me, but seeing this football heavy release with unlicensed baseball rookies just hits wrong. Nonetheless, the 2013 Panini Select Christian Yelich #190 (AUTOGRAPH-PRIZM) is an autographed rookie card. It even has a classy golden tinge going on. But there is really no need to have the word “ROOKIE” emblazoned underneath the auto. First of all, you already have the RC designator in the corner. Second, it draws way too much attention to the sticker and obscures the autograph.
2012 Bowman Platinum Christian Yelich Refractor Rookie #BP49
A PSA 10 sold for $575
The old-school Bowman’s Platinum design was pretty cool, with its classy take on the brand logo and lack of designators in the corner. The 2012 Bowman Platinum Christian Yelich Refractor #BP49 also has a trippy background color collection. The Yelich pic has him looking like the sun is in his eyes. Perhaps a less charitable characterization is that he looks like a chipmunk. You can currently get this card for under $100. Very cheap for a refractor of a player of the level of Christian Yelich.
2013 Topps Chrome Rookie Autograph Christian Yelich #CY (ATOMIC REFRACTOR)
A PSA 9 sold for $610
Now we are talking. The 2013 Topps Chrome Rookie Autograph Christian Yelich #CY (ATOMIC REFRACTOR) might be the outfielder's most attractive auto rookie card. The on-card auto is well crafted and includes the kind of background we would later find in Topps Sapphire releases. Meanwhile, the lettering at the bottom manages to be both classic and cutting-edge all at once. There is nothing not to like about this card. There are, of course, other versions of this card. But they don’t have the same magic.
The one caveat is that nowadays, the Bowman cards go for more than the Topps Chrome rookies. But this one is so much more attractive that it has to count for something, right? Again, ignore the price since the last sale was in 2019. The owners of these cards are probably sitting on them, hoping the good days will return.
2013 Topps Chrome Update Christian Yelich Rookie #MB-47 (GOLD REFRACTOR)
A PSA 10 sold for $910
I am a sucker for a good gold refractor. Our boy Yelich looks like he was born to be surrounded by gold. Therefore, the 2013 Topps Chrome Update Christian Yelich #MB-47 (GOLD REFRACTOR) provides a beautiful background for him. While the Brewers favorite (in Marlins garb here) was never known for his superior fielding, he has a certain grace. It is fully captured in this beautiful Christian Yelich rookie card. The other main refractor option in this release is the black refractor, which is definitely less appealing.
As always, the price is down. In the case of the Gold Refractor, we do have a recent sale to help put things in perspective. A 2023 sale was for a low sum of $227.50. That is a good deal.
2013 Bowman Chrome Draft Picks & Prospects Rookies Christian Yelich #40 (ORANGE REFRACTOR)
A PSA 10 sold for $1,000.
The last time a PSA 10 of this card sold, Yelich was still a superstar. You can get this card for a fraction of the price. If you can, spring for the 2013 Bowman Chrome Draft Picks & Prospects Rookies Christian Yelich #40 (ORANGE REFRACTOR). It has that “it” factor we can’t put into words every collector can instinctively recognize. Meanwhile, those stripes on the edges shouldn’t work. But they pop, giving it an aviation edge. The wonderful action shot, which is fleshed out admirably by the orange, makes this a great candidate for future importance in the hobby.
2010 Bowman Chrome Draft Picks & Prospects Christian Yelich #BDPP78 (BLUE REFRACTOR-AUTOGRAPH)
A PSA 10 $5,690
Early on, the hobby coalesced around this card as the grail Christian Yelich rookie card. We can see why. The 2010 Bowman Chrome Draft Picks & Prospects Christian Yelich #BDPP78 (BLUE REFRACTOR-AUTOGRAPH) has that beautiful O.G Bowman 1st logo. The two shades of blue in the border are deceptively subtle but make the card pop. Meanwhile, the action pic gets that Yelich grace we all know and love. Finally, it's funny how Christian signs this with a simple C + Y.
The massive value is, of course, from Yelich’s peak years. It was June 2019, no one had heard of Wuhan, China, and this guy was the best player in baseball. The last sale of one of these was in 2023 for $487. Honestly, I am surprised it got that much.
Final Word On Christian Yelich Rookie Cards
Christian Yelich remains one of the most talented players in baseball. We saw some signs of that legendary production coming back in 2023. Take a look at his numbers and form to determine if that is a trend or just a blip. Since Christian is about halfway to a Hall of Fame career, he just needs a few more top-notch seasons. That is certainly achievable.
If you are convinced this is a comeback, it is an excellent opportunity to get any of the Christian Yelich rookie cards listed above. As you can see, they are selling for far lower prices than they used to. Furthermore, there is no shortage of beautiful Christian Yelich rookie cards. He is a good-looking guy, after all.
