A unique baseball card showcasing National League Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes has been acquired by an 11-year-old collector in Los Angeles.
Topps declared on Tuesday that the card, which has a patch from a game-worn jersey and the autograph of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher, had been located.
The exciting aspect now is determining its open market value.
The Pirates have put together a package that includes 30 years’ worth of season seats behind home plate at PNC Park in exchange for the card, so if the collector is ready to give it to them, they might receive a huge haul.
At one of Skenes’ starts, the card’s owner is being offered the chance to watch a game with Skenes’ girlfriend, LSU gymnast and influencer Livvy Dunne, in a posh suite at the ballpark.
Given the possibly bright future ahead for the 22-year-old Skenes—who also finished third in the NL Cy Young Award voting after an incredible debut season in 2024—the card might fetch a rather high price elsewhere.
After making his major league debut in May, the 2023 amateur draft’s top overall pick had one of the best rookie seasons in recent memory. After just 11 starts, Skenes was chosen as the NL’s starting pitcher for the All-Star Game. He finished the season 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA in 23 games.
Over the weekend, Skenes stated that his goal is to assist the Pirates move closer to contending in 2025 and that he hasn’t considered the possibility of signing a long-term contract to stay in Pittsburgh.
https://apnews.com/hub/mlb is the AP MLB website.
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