Yoshinobu Yamamoto pulled off one of the greatest overall World Series pitching performances of anyone in baseball history for the Los Angeles Dodgers on his way to winning this year’s Series MVP after closing out Game 7 against the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday night. This should be a reason for the owner of Yamamoto’s most sought-after rookie card — his one-of-a-kind Topps MLB Debut Patch autographed card — to run the streets in celebration, even if they weren’t a Dodgers fan.
There’s one problem. That card has never been redeemed.
Yamamoto’s Debut Patch card remains in the possession of Topps, which confirmed to The Athletic that no one has submitted the redemption code to receive the Yamamoto card as of Sunday. Topps produces a redemption card bearing a special code that goes into a pack instead of the Debut Patch card itself in an effort to keep the unique and valuable cards in top condition. The company said the Yamamoto Debut Patch redemption card was randomly placed in a pack of 2024 Topps Chrome Update Series, which was released nearly a full year ago. It likely still remains in an unopened pack.
The Paul Skenes MLB Debut Patch card went to an 11-year-old boy who pulled its redemption card from a pack he opened on Christmas morning in 2024. He submitted the code and received the card a few weeks later.
The card of the Pittsburgh Pirates phenom pitcher made global headlines given the hype around how talented of a player he’s become, as well as public bounties offered by the Pirates and his girlfriend, former LSU gymnast and social influencer Livvy Dunne.
Skenes’ card made more headlines when sold for $1.11 million to Dick’s Sporting Goods through a Fanatics Collect auction in March. The company now has the card on public display in one of its western Pennsylvania stores.
Given what Yamamoto just pulled off in the World Series, it’s not unfathomable that his Debut Patch card could challenge the price tag for Skenes’ card. That’s of course, if it’s ever found.
For now, Yamamoto’s most expensive public card sale occurred in Dec. 2024 (according to Card Ladder, an online card sales database) when his 2024 Topps Chrome LogoFractor one-of-one autographed Superfractor sold for $40,260 through Goldin. Yamamoto’s World Series performance has already boosted his card values, though. His 2024 Topps Chrome Update Sapphire Red autographed card (only five produced) in Gem-Mint PSA 10 condition sold for $4,138 in February, and then went for $23,499 on eBay Saturday night to become the third highest Yamamoto card sale to date.
Three notable Yamamoto rookie cards:
Yamamoto’s Debut Patch card is among a list of publicly unaccounted for sports cards that also includes a 2009 Topps Chrome Stephen Curry one-of-one Superfractor rookie card and a 2024 Topps Now one-of-a-kind triple autographed Olympic card of Curry, LeBron James and Kevin Durant.
Here’s a look at the top selling MLB Debut Patch cards that have been publicly sold:
- Skenes — $1.11 million
- Jackson Holliday — $198,000
- Wyatt Langford — $183,000
- Shota Imanaga — $82,961.22
- Masyn Wynn — $75,000