Shelby Miller
Date of Birth: 10/10/1990
Rookie Card Year: 2013
Investment Rating: 7.0
Prospectors have been watching Shelby Miller closely for a while now. Many have been praising the pitcher's potential. Now it's his time to show what's he's got. Early on, Shelby Miller isn't disappointing anyone. During his first full season with the St. Louis Cardinals, he's showing ace material. And while Shelby Miller cards have long been on many collectors' radars, they're starting to hit the mainstream more and more with each ensuing start.
The Cardinals picked Miller mid-way through the first round of the 2009 draft. He made an immediate impact, being named the franchise's Minor League Pitcher of the Year in both 2010 and 2011. After struggling at the start of 2012, Miller rebounded nicely and was a late-season call-up where he appeared in six games as well as a couple of playoff games.
Now Miller appears to be a mainstay with the St. Louis rotation. He kicked off 2013 as not only one of the top rookie players, but as one of the best pitchers in baseball.
Miller's first major cards can be found in 2009 Donruss Elite Extra Edition. His first in a MLB uniform came in several 2010 Bowman branded products. However, these are inserts and not official rookies. Shelby Miller rookie cards are found in 2013 products. As a pitcher, there's a solid amount of risk involved with investing in Shelby Miller cards. And while he's doing amazing things, it's still very early in his career. A lot can happen, good or bad.
Shelby Miller Rookie Card Guide
Please note that this is an ongoing list. We will continue to update as new Shelby Miller rookie cards are released throughout the 2013 season. You can shop for singles on eBay by clicking on the card name.
2013 Bowman Shelby Miller RC #126
With so many Bowman Shelby Miller cards already, this may be one that gets overlooked. Many collectors look to Bowman today for the prospects. By the time the rookie cards show up, many have moved on. Still, this is a clean card at a modest price.
2013 Topps Shelby Miller RC #305
The 2013 Topps Shelby Miller rookie card won't be his most valuable, but it does carry the distinction of hailing from the flagship set. If history stays true, it means it could one day start popping up in Topps reprints and other promotional materials. 2013 Topps Baseball has more colored parallels than ever. High-end collectors may want to look to the Silver Slate cards that were available only via wrapper redemption and not in regular packs.
2013 Topps Archives Shelby Miller RC #61
Taking from 1982 Topps, this card mixes in a lot of retro. That's the point of the Archives brand, not to bring in big returns. It's unfortunate that it recycles the same photo used for his Topps Heritage rookie.
2013 Topps Gypsy Queen Shelby Miller RC #307
Some collectors love the Gypsy Queen design, others hate it. Depending on where you stand will determine whether this is a rookie for you. It's modestly priced as a lot of collectors chase the set more for the autographs and mini cards.
2013 Topps Heritage Shelby Miller RC #262 with Trevor Rosenthal
The 2013 Topps Heritage Shelby Miller gets the dreaded dual-player treatment. Unless Trevor Rosenthal develops into an equally strong pitcher, his presence will likely drag the prospects of this card down. That said, it's not likely that the card would be a huge hit among rookie card collectors to being with.
2013 Topps Opening Day Shelby Miller RC #72
Pretty much identical to Miller's base Topps rookie, the major difference on the front is the Opening Day logo at the bottom of the card. As a base brand, this card should always be extremely affordable.
Key Shelby Miller Prospect Cards
2009 Donruss Elite Extra Edition Turn of the Century Autographs Shelby Miller #13 #/690
The 2009 Donruss Elite Extra Edition Shelby Miller autograph may not be licensed by the MLB but it's the pitcher's first autograph in a major release. It may not carry the value of his 2010 Bowman Chrome autograph, but it does carry the advantage of being serial numbered.
2010 Bowman Chrome Prospects Shelby Miller #BCP204
If an autograph isn't in your budget, the base 2010 Bowman Chrome Shelby Miller is one of the next best things. It's reasonably priced, is readily available and has several parallel Refractors to add to the chase.
2010 Bowman Chrome Prospects Autographs Shelby Miller #BCP204
If you're looking for the best Shelby Miller card, this is it. While the 2010 Bowman Chrome Shelby Miller autograph is not a rookie card, a lot of collectors treat it as such. It's his first autograph in a MLB jersey and will be the benchmark for all cards in the future. Refractor parallels carry a lot of added punch.
2010 Bowman Platinum Prospects Shelby Miller #PP25
In 2010, the Bowman Platinum line was still finding its way. The design is bland and not overly attractive. Still, without an autograph, it remains extremely affordable. Colorful Refractor parallels are much more attractive, both design-wise and investment-wise.
2010 Bowman Sterling Prospects Shelby Miller #SM
If you're looking for a Shelby Miller bargain prospect card, this might be the one. The high-end card sells for roughly the same amount as his base 2010 Bowman Chrome card but is much more difficult to find. As with other Bowman products, a variety of Refractors are also available.
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