The Most Expensive Julio Rodriguez Cards of All-Time

First up to bat is a glimmering red refractor from 2019 Bowman. This J-Rod’s first Bowman prospect card, or the first time he appeared in an officially licensed baseball product. That “1st” logo in the top left corner is the crown jewel of prospecting, so it’s no surprise why this stunner sold for $276,000 in August 2022. Now, if we ever see the superfractor auto go up at auction, we could be looking at Rodriguez’s first million-dollar card.

Seeing some ink on a Bowman card always helps, but you will never go wrong with a superfractor. This 1/1 J-Rod eclipsed $67,000 during an August 2022 auction. The same card has sold previously for $43,000, so Rodriguez’s stellar play landed one collector a nice chunk of change. 

Next, we have another Bowman auto that many high-end baseball collectors would love to have. The orange parallel falls third on the totem pole, just behind the superfractor and red refractor. This J-Rod is limited to just 25 copies, and the coveted gem mint grade makes it really pop.

To round off our run of Bowman 1st Autographs, here is a gold refractor with that pristine PSA 10 grade. On this one, we really love how the gold blends with the accents of the Mariners’ uniform. If J-Rod truly is the future of baseball, buying this gem for $34,000 could prove to be a worthwhile investment. Only time will tell.

While not as treasured as the flagship Bowman product, Bowman Sterling offers premium on-card autographs of top prospects. Sterling is also a hobby-only product, meaning it is printed far less than Bowman or Bowman Chrome. So we see this superfractor auto as a great pickup and addition to any prospector’s collection.

Check out the photography on this stunner from Bowman Heritage. This product offers a clean and retro look of today’s biggest stars, so it has a solid appeal in the trading card community. The Bowman name has been in the hobby since the late 40s, so comes with a long and prestigious history. This clean and crisp J-Rod last sold for $22,800 in September 2022.

At #7 we have the only sticker autograph on the list. Regardless, when you have a 1/1, you can set your own price. This is J-Rod’s last Bowman set before he was called up, so pretty soon we will be adding low-numbered rookie autographs to this list as well. Until those surface, we can enjoy incredible cards like this one, which last sold for $22,000 in September 2022.

Noticing a pattern? The superfractor really is the card to have in baseball, no matter the player. Here is yet another 1/1 auto of the Mariners phenom, graded a BGS 9. With baseball season just around the corner, we are eager to see how Rodriguez’s card market reacts in 2023. If he continues his remarkable level of play, cards like these are going to become harder and harder to pick up.

Our last autograph on the list may be the most unique. Bowman cards are not necessarily known for their inscriptions, so seeing J-Rod personalize this one is really neat. Under his signature, the young prospect wrote “J-Rod Show,” which is pretty accurate of the Mariners’ season last year. This exclusive piece last sold for just over $20,000 in September 2022.

Finally, we have another non-autographed superfractor. This one stems from Bowman Draft, which is Rodriguez’s second appearance in a flagship Bowman product. It last sold for over $16,000, marking another five-digit sale of one of baseball’s biggest emerging stars.