MLB Players Inc. announced Monday it has signed a deal with Leaf to produce baseball cards featuring minor-league players, with the first licensed set expected to come in July.
Leaf Trading Cards, which is typically known for sticker-autograph unlicensed cards and licensed cards of less mainstream sports such as the Power Slap League, will be printing the cards on its Metal technology in multiple patterns and colors.
MLB Players Inc. is the business arm of the MLBPA, which became the sole collective bargaining representative for minor-league players in 2022.
Minor League Baseball cards are nothing new. In fact, there was once a time where prospectors would chase minor-league cards of highly touted draft picks in limited team sets released regionally.
The most famous example is likely the 1980 Charlotte O’s police set’s Cal Ripken Jr. card. Ripken’s first professional card was released as part of a set given out during games at the team’s stadium in 1980. Last year, one of the cards, graded PSA 6.5, set a minor-league record when it sold for $69,000.
Ken Griffey Jr. also was featured on several highly collectible minor-league cards, including the San Bernardino Spirit and Bellingham Mariners.
At varying times, major card brands released sets for minor-leaguers, including Upper Deck in 1994, which produced a 270-card set of the top prospects of the era.
In 2009, MLBP announced a deal with Topps for an exclusive multi-year licensing deal. As recently as 2022, Topps Heritage Minors featured players such as Anthony Volpe and Jackson Merrill.
Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct, the premier company for collectible content.