Introduction
The sports card market is continuing its impressive run in 2026, with baseball, hockey, and basketball all producing some major price movements. This week's list features several unexpected breakout players, including a Milwaukee Brewers reliever making postseason history, a young Toronto Maple Leafs forward enjoying a strong start, and a Memphis Grizzlies guard whose cards have surged in value.
Postseason performances and breakout seasons are creating significant movement across the sports card market. Milwaukee's World Series championship has brought increased attention to several of its players, while impressive early-season performances in hockey and basketball are helping lesser-known players attract new collector interest.
One basketball card has climbed nearly 1,600% in just 30 days, while several baseball prospect autographs have recorded substantial gains.
This week's list features five players whose cards are making significant moves. Let's break down the Top 5 Sports Cards Heating Up by Sports Card Investor based on the latest Market Movers data.
Sports Card Market Pulse
The overall sports card market continues to move higher after an exceptional year for the hobby. The SCI 500 Index, which tracks 500 of the most prominent sports cards, is up nearly 2% over the last seven days.
The broader market has also gained considerable ground since the beginning of the year, with the index now up almost 59% since January 1st, 2026.
SCI 500 Index Performance:
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Up 1.9% over the last 7 days
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Up 2.6% over the last 30 days
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Up almost 59% since January 1st, 2026
The nearly 59% year-to-date increase highlights just how strong the sports card market has been throughout 2026. The latest gains show that collector demand remains active across multiple sports, with individual players experiencing substantial price increases.
Baseball is driving much of this week's activity, particularly following the Milwaukee Brewers' World Series championship. Aaron Ashby, Cooper Pratt, and William Contreras have all seen increased interest in their cards after contributing to Milwaukee's postseason success.
Hockey is also represented, with Toronto Maple Leafs forward Easton Cowan enjoying a breakout start to his sophomore season. Meanwhile, basketball's Ty Jerome has become one of the most surprising market movers after an explosive start with Memphis.
The combination of postseason performances, record-setting achievements, breakout seasons, and increased collector demand is creating significant movement across the latest sports card market.
The Top 5 Sports Cards Heating Up
5. Aaron Ashby
Aaron Ashby, the relief pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers, opens this week's list after playing an important role in the team's World Series championship. Ashby emerged as one of Milwaukee's most effective bullpen arms during the postseason, delivering an outstanding stretch of scoreless appearances.
He finished the regular season with a 13-3 record and a 3.12 ERA across 71 relief appearances. However, his biggest achievement came during Game 4 of the World Series, when he extended his postseason scoreless streak to 18 innings. That established a record for the longest single postseason scoreless streak by a relief pitcher.
His historic postseason performance has brought increased attention to his baseball cards, particularly his Bowman Chrome prospect autographs and Topps Chrome rookie autograph.
Key Card Movements:
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2020 Bowman Chrome Prospect Auto 1st (Raw): Up 400%, Less than $8 → $55
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2020 Bowman Chrome Prospect Auto 1st Refractor /499 (Raw): Around $20 → $66
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2020 Bowman Mega Box Chrome Prospect Auto Mojo Refractor (Raw): $7 → $37
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2022 Topps Chrome Rookie Auto Purple Refractor /250 (Raw): $12 → $35
His postseason record and contribution to Milwaukee's championship have created substantial momentum across his baseball card market.
4. Easton Cowan
Easton Cowan of the Toronto Maple Leafs takes the fourth spot after getting off to an impressive start in his sophomore NHL season. Selected 28th overall in the 2023 NHL Draft, Cowan has quickly established himself as one of Toronto's exciting young players.
After standing out in the Ontario Hockey League, Cowan has continued to show his offensive potential at the NHL level. Through his first 13 games this season, he has recorded five goals and seven assists, giving collectors plenty of reasons to pay attention.
His early-season production has helped drive increased demand for his Upper Deck Young Guns rookie cards, particularly the Outburst Silver parallel.
Key Card Movements:
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2025 Upper Deck Young Guns Base Rookie (Raw): Less than $7 → $20-$25
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2025 Upper Deck Young Guns Outburst Silver Rookie (Raw): $80 → $124
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2025 Upper Deck Young Guns Outburst Silver Rookie (PSA 10): $315 → $450
With five goals and seven assists through his first 13 games, Cowan is enjoying a promising start to the season. If he continues producing offensively, collectors will be watching closely to see whether his rookie cards can maintain their upward momentum.
3. Ty Jerome
Ty Jerome of the Memphis Grizzlies takes the number three position after an unexpected offensive breakout has turned him into one of the NBA's most surprising early-season performers.
A former first-round pick, Jerome is now enjoying the best stretch of his career. He exploded for a career-high 45 points in Memphis's season-opening victory over Utah, setting a Grizzlies franchise record for the most points scored in a season opener.
He followed that performance by earning Western Conference Player of the Week honors after averaging a league-leading 34.7 points across Memphis's first three games.
The eighth-year guard's breakout has created significant movement across his basketball cards. Several of his 2019 rookie cards have experienced substantial increases, including one that has climbed from just $0.99 to approximately $17.
Key Card Movements:
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2019 Panini Immaculate Collection Rookie Patch Auto /99 (Raw): $40 → $151
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2019 Panini Prizm Fast Break Red /125 (Raw): $15 → $30
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2019 Panini Prizm Purple Wave (Raw): $5 → $30
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2019 Panini Prizm Silver (Raw): $0.99 → $17
Jerome's strong start has made him one of the most surprising basketball card stories of the week, and collectors will be watching to see whether he can maintain his production throughout the season.
2. Cooper Pratt
Cooper Pratt, the shortstop for the Milwaukee Brewers, claims the number two position after emerging as one of the biggest surprises of the World Series.
Pratt delivered several memorable performances during Milwaukee's championship run. In Game 2, he recorded a go-ahead RBI single that helped the Brewers overcome an early four-run deficit. He nearly became an instant postseason hero again in Game 4, hitting a go-ahead home run in the 12th inning before Tampa Bay rallied to win.
He continued producing in the deciding Game 5, driving in a run with an RBI single in the third inning and collecting another hit in the fifth. His performance also made postseason history, as he became the first rookie in World Series history to record hits in at least six consecutive at-bats.
Pratt finished the World Series with an impressive 8-for-19 performance, and his cards have responded with some of the biggest price increases on this week's list.
Key Card Movements:
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2024 Bowman Chrome Prospect Auto 1st (Raw): Less than $50 → $200
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2024 Bowman Chrome Prospect Auto 1st (PSA 10): $150 → $360
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2024 Bowman Chrome Prospect Auto Refractor /499 1st (Raw): $85 → $225
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2024 Bowman Chrome Prospect Auto Refractor /499 1st (PSA 10): $191 → $385
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2024 Bowman Chrome Prospects Purple Refractor /250 1st (Raw): $5 → $30
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2024 Bowman Sapphire Edition Chrome Prospect Auto 1st (Raw): $25 → $99
Pratt's World Series performance has helped turn him into one of the hottest young names in the baseball card market. With Milwaukee celebrating a championship, collectors are paying close attention to his prospect cards and autographs.
1. William Contreras
William Contreras of the Milwaukee Brewers takes the number one spot after an outstanding World Series performance earned him MVP honors and helped drive major increases across his baseball cards.
Contreras played an important role in Milwaukee's championship, contributing both offensively and defensively. During the World Series, he batted .381 with four RBIs, including a crucial double that helped the Brewers clinch the championship in Game 5.
His contributions extended beyond the plate. Contreras threw out four attempted base stealers and successfully won 10 of the 13 challenges he made through the automated ball-strike system. His all-around performance helped establish him as one of the most important players in Milwaukee's championship run.
That performance has translated into significant demand for his baseball cards. His 2018 Bowman Chrome prospect autographs and 2021 Topps Chrome rookie autographs have all recorded impressive gains.
Key Card Movements:
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2018 Bowman Chrome Prospect Auto 1st (Raw): $15 → more than $90
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2018 Bowman Chrome Prospect Auto Purple Refractor /250 1st (PSA 10): $250 → $480
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2021 Topps Chrome Rookie Auto (Raw): $12 → more than $50
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2021 Topps Chrome Rookie Auto (PSA 10): $114 → $170
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2021 Topps Chrome Sapphire Edition Rookie Auto (Raw): less than $40 → $125
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2021 Topps Chrome Sapphire Edition Rookie Auto (PSA 10): $112 → $300
Contreras's World Series MVP performance, championship contribution, and impressive all-around play have made him the biggest card-market mover of the week. With several of his prospect and rookie autographs posting substantial gains, his cards are among the most closely watched in the hobby right now.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How is the sports card market performing in October 2026?
The SCI 500 Index is up almost 2% over the last seven days and nearly 59% since January 1st, 2026. The latest gains highlight another strong stretch for the overall sports card market.
2. Which sports cards are heating up the most this week?
William Contreras, Cooper Pratt, Ty Jerome, Easton Cowan, and Aaron Ashby headline this week's list. Their cards are benefiting from World Series performances, breakout seasons, and increased collector demand.
3. Why are William Contreras cards increasing in value?
Contreras earned World Series MVP honors after batting .381 with four RBIs and making important defensive contributions during Milwaukee's championship run. His performance has helped drive substantial increases across his Bowman Chrome and Topps Chrome rookie autographs.
4. Why are Cooper Pratt baseball cards heating up?
Pratt delivered an impressive World Series performance, finishing 8-for-19 and recording several important hits. His postseason production and historic rookie achievement have helped increase demand for his 2024 Bowman Chrome prospect autographs and refractors.
5. Why are Ty Jerome basketball cards rising so quickly?
Jerome opened the season with a career-high 45 points against Utah, setting a Memphis Grizzlies franchise record for points in a season opener. He followed that performance by averaging 34.7 points across his first three games and earning Western Conference Player of the Week honors. His breakout has helped push several of his 2019 rookie cards higher.
6. Why are Easton Cowan hockey cards gaining value?
Cowan is enjoying a strong start to his sophomore season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, recording five goals and seven assists through his first 13 games. His early production has helped increase interest in his 2025 Upper Deck Young Guns rookie cards.
7. Why are Aaron Ashby cards increasing in value?
Ashby played an important role in Milwaukee's World Series championship and established a postseason record with an 18-inning scoreless streak as a relief pitcher. His performance has helped drive significant gains across his 2020 Bowman Chrome prospect autographs and 2022 Topps Chrome rookie autograph.
Conclusion
This week's sports card market highlights how postseason success and unexpected breakout performances can create significant movement across the hobby.
Aaron Ashby is benefiting from a historic postseason run with the Milwaukee Brewers, while Easton Cowan is generating renewed interest after an impressive start to his sophomore NHL season. Ty Jerome has emerged as one of basketball's biggest surprises, with several of his 2019 rookie cards recording substantial increases.
Cooper Pratt has become one of the most exciting young baseball names following his memorable World Series performance. Meanwhile, William Contreras takes the top spot after earning World Series MVP honors and delivering an outstanding performance on both sides of the game.
The broader sports card market remains exceptionally strong, with the SCI 500 Index up nearly 59% since the beginning of 2026. As the NBA and NHL seasons continue and collectors look back on Milwaukee's championship run, there will be plenty of opportunities for new players to capture the hobby's attention.
For collectors, the latest price movements are a reminder to follow player performance, monitor recent card sales, and pay attention to emerging names before their markets gain even more momentum.
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