The Los Angeles Dodgers, a franchise renowned for scouting and developing outstanding talent, seems to have uncovered another diamond in the rough. Meet Hyeseong Kim, a 26-year-old rookie making headlines not only for his prowess on the field but also for the burgeoning market of his rookie cards. Since breaking onto the Major League scene on May 3, Kim has become the latest Dodger to dazzle MLB fans and collectors alike, making substantial waves both on the diamond and across e-commerce platforms.
Kim has been hitting like a seasoned veteran, boasting a sterling .386 batting average with an On-base Plus Slugging (OPS) nearing .985 over the span of 31 games. These impressive stats have rapidly earned him a dedicated fan following and a serious stake in the memorabilia market.
But as much as his athletic feats have captured attention, it’s his 2025 Topps Series 2 rookie cards that have truly ignited enthusiasm among collectors. From basic cards right through to more sophisticated foils, autographs, and nostalgic inserts, Kim is omnipresent in this collection, much to the delight of hobbyists and investors hunting for the next prized asset.
The crown jewels in this collection are the redemption autographs, which have transcended ordinary expectations to achieve extraordinary prices. With transactions reaching stratospheric figures between $1,200 and $1,704, these signed redemptions, much like Kim himself, can no longer be labeled as sleepers in the hobby circuit.
Rare and exclusive items such as one-of-ones and low-numbered parallels have also caught the eye of the savviest collectors. A Gold Foil 1/1 was snapped up for an impressive $650, a Black Diamante limited to 10 copies found a home for $600, and a Fireworks Foil—also limited to 10—added some sparkle by fetching $350. A crowning achievement is the market buzz surrounding a Red Fireworks Foil Paralell numbered to just five, which is currently attracting significant interest from prospective buyers.
Collectors with a nostalgic bend are similarly drawn to Kim’s retro-themed 1990 Topps Baseball Mojo Foil Rookie Card. This item, with its Dodger Blue borders, delivers a heavy dose of aesthetic charm that has seen raw cards sell for around $10. However, more discerning collectors have pushed the price of its autographed versions from the same insert line to the $400 threshold.
Perhaps one of Kim’s most intriguing cards from this series is his Golden Mirror Variation, capturing the rookie mid-press conference. With elements of whimsy and boundless potential, this card represents the quirky end of the collecting spectrum. With asking prices ranging between $150 and $425, it not only stands out in design but also in its market appeal.
Yet the pièce de résistance could be the Flagship Real One card in its orange foil auto variant. Limited to a mere 25 copies, a single redemption has already commanded $1,704, while another is comfortably listed on eBay at $1,500.
Among the top echelon of sales in the 2025 Topps Series 2 set, Kim unequivocally leaves a mark with three of the top 20 sales, each commanding over $1,000. Considering the lineup includes baseball luminaries such as Shohei Ohtani and Roki Sasaki, this newcomer is in illustrious company. The Dodgers, meanwhile, underscore this release’s dominance by claiming 16 of the 20 top sales tracked by Card Ladder, reinforcing their prominence in both baseball and the card-collecting hobby.
As Kim’s influence and responsibilities continue to escalate—shuttling between second base and center field—so does his impact in the collecting sphere. Whether he’s covering ground in the outfield or proving indispensable on the card charts, Kim represents an investment worth monitoring.
Reflecting on these developments, it’s clear that Hyeseong Kim has swept both the baseball world and the collecting community off their feet. His cards, which are just as well-followed as his on-field performances, show no signs of cooling as collectors continue to track their ascension. It would seem that in both arenas, whether patrolling grass or gracing cardstock, Hyeseong Kim has become a name worth keeping an eye on.