Colton Cowser doesn’t care what Gunnar Henderson wrote on a baseball card — he’s not afraid of shrimp.
The response from the Baltimore Orioles outfielder arrived a little more than 24 hours after Topps previewed a Henderson card from the upcoming Pristine release Monday that had baseball fans and collectors alike hoping for a backstory.
Included in the Personal Endorsements autograph set, Henderson’s autograph is featured alongside an inscription that reads, “Cowser is afraid of shrimp.”
Though it's an incredible inscription, Cowser is adamant it’s not true.
MLB.com Orioles reporter Jake Rill asked Cowser about the card Tuesday night, and got clarification on what Henderson meant. According to Rill, the card was signed during spring training after some Baltimore players had gone on group fishing trips where they used shrimp as bait.
“One time, one jumped out of my hand, and I had to grab it off the ground, and it took a little bit longer because it was in the crevice of the deck,” Cowser told Rill. “So he assumed I was afraid of it.”
"I’m not afraid of shrimp, by the way,” Cowser added. “I will grab the shrimp.”
The “shrimp” inscription might not be the last gem from Henderson’s Pristine cards, either. According to Cowser, Henderson might have added other inscriptions to cards from the set, including something for the 1/1 cards.
The inscription from Henderson is the latest in a growing number of players adding additional ink to their cards.
Rookies, including stars such as Victor Wembanyama, have started adding inscriptions that highlight their first trading cards or their first autographs.
Topps has also made it a priority to have players add inscriptions to the print-to-demand Topps NOW program. Those cards are often among the most popular chases.
Future NFL Hall of Famer Tom Brady recently created a stir among collectors by prematurely signing cards with a “HOF 2028” inscription years before he’ll be inducted.
Ben Burrows is a reporter and editor for cllct, the premier company for collectible culture. He was previously the Collectibles Editor at Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on X and Instagram @benmburrows.