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TRADING CARDS – LET’S GOOOO!
There are around 3-4 times during the course of a guy’s pro baseball career when he’s considered for trading card deals in baseball. There are always exceptions to who gets what card deals and how much they’re worth.
There are around 3-4 times during the course of a guy’s pro baseball career when he’s considered for trading card deals in baseball. There are always exceptions to who gets what card deals and how much they’re worth.
The first time a player is considered for a card deal is after he is drafted. Typically, high draft picks are offered deals, but there are always exceptions.
Some companies use a slotting method when deciding how much they’re going to pay a player (i.e. picks 1-10 all get x, picks 11-20 all get y, etc.) while other companies base their offer on which pick a player was – the higher the pick, the more money.
Not all players who were drafted get a draft card deal. Your agent or any agent recruiting you, should not be guaranteeing you a card deal just because you got drafted!
The next time a player can be considered for a card deal is once he’s a prospect. (Side note: If a player gets a draft card deal, he typically won’t also get a prospect deal.)
Not all players who are Top 30 Prospects get a prospect card deal. Your agent or any agent recruiting you should not be guaranteeing you a card deal just because you’re a prospect.
A player that is Top 10 in his organization (out of 30), Top 100 overall, and is Top 10 by position will have a much easier time getting some interest from card companies for a prospect deal over a guy who ranks #30 on just his organization’s Top 30 list.
It’s by no means impossible to get a deal as the #30 prospect at your organization, but it will always be easier being considered for a prospect deal when you’re on multiple of those lists.
I’ve also seen players not on any prospect lists get a prospect card deal because the card company knew the guy had a lot of upside. Often times, these companies have a person, or a team of people who are tracking what players are doing on-field. If you're good, they know it!
The next time a player is considered for a card deal is once he debuts. Depending on when a player debuts (before or after the All-Star break) will determine the strength of his offer.
I won’t get into the reasons for why that is on this thread, but offers look much different for players who debut before the All-Star break or after. Rookie card deals are always the most lucrative.
Your agent or any agent recruiting you, should not be guaranteeing you a card deal just because you debuted – that’s what’s supposed to happen. These card companies make offers to players who they feel will stay in the big leagues, not just debut.
The last instance when a player can be considered for a card deal is what we refer to as a “pro deal”. Players who’ve won awards, had big career moments, set MLB or organizational records, etc. are more likely to be considered for these types of card deals.
These pro deals can happen multiple times throughout a player’s career but can also never happen. Your agent or any agent recruiting you, should not be guaranteeing you this type of card deal either.
Also, athletes have to STOP COMPARING their offers to what their teammates said their offers were. Different companies structure their deals differently. Some companies may offer more money per card with a lower amount of cards to sign.
Other companies offer more cards to sign at a lower price per card. As an example, maybe your teammate is signing 5,000 cards at $1 per card, but you’re signing 2,500 cards at $3 per card. You’re making more money in this scenario!
You are NOT supposed to be sharing details of a contract with a teammate because of this exact reason. This scenario causes a lot of avoidable misinformation and is not productive for anyone involved.
As always, it’s important to remember that there are always exceptions to what I’ve outlined above. Marketability of a player also helps tremendously when card companies are deciding who to consider for deals.
Card company’s jobs are to sell cards. If you’re just an ok player with no social media presence, you’re not helping them sell cards. Period.
This should also go without saying, but when you do get a card deal (or any deal), be available to sign when the company needs you to sign. They’ve got deadlines they have to hit to get your cards in packages.
Show up on time to the signing (if there’s a rep who’s sitting with you) or send the cards back in a timely manner (if you’re signing them without a rep).
Getting labeled as the player who’s impossible to get scheduled for a signing, who doesn’t show up on time, etc. is a great way to never get another deal. Don’t be that guy! There's another guy just as good behind you who will show up to the signing on time.
You're of ZERO value to a card company if they never get any of your cards back because you won't attend a signing. 
As always, DM me with any questions!
