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With the Atlanta Braves set to kick off the 2025 MLB season against the San Diego Padres, it’s not just the players warming up for a long haul. Baseball card collectors are stretching out, too—and they’re sprinting straight to the prospect section.

Opening Day rosters were barely out before collectors dove into boxes and bid wars, chasing the first glimpses of future stars. For many, this isn’t just a hobby—it’s long-term investing with a bit more cardboard and a lot more hope.

At Cards HQ in Atlanta—an operation that proudly claims to be the world’s largest card shop—manager Ryan Van Oost has seen the storm firsthand.

“We keep all of our Atlanta cards over here,” Van Oost said, gesturing to a picked-over section of Braves singles. “As you can see, we had a crazy weekend.”

Crazy might be an understatement. With prospect hype in full swing, even the biggest shops are having trouble restocking.

“I tried to walk around yesterday,” he added. “I couldn’t even move. The store was packed.”

And they’re not buying Ronald Acuña Jr. cards, either. The real action is around names that casual fans haven’t even heard yet.

Take Nacho Alvarez, for instance. With just 30 big-league at-bats to his name, he’s already got a card going for $5,000 at Cards HQ.

“This is the first card ever made of him,” Van Oost said. “Collectors go nuts for that kind of thing.”

But even Nacho has been overshadowed by Drake Baldwin—a name you won’t find on any MLB highlight reel just yet. The young catcher hasn’t played a single game in the majors, but thanks to injuries, he might be starting on Opening Day. That was all collectors needed to hear.

“Everyone is looking for the Baldwin kid,” Van Oost said. “He’s about to start behind the plate, and we sold out. There’s none left.”

It’s a classic play: invest in the unknown and hope they become a household name. And lately, that gamble’s been paying off.

Just ask whoever pulled the Paul Skenes card that recently sold for $1.11 million. The Pirates pitcher has just 23 professional appearances under his belt. Still, the hype was enough to send the card to auction heaven—and the Pirates even offered season tickets for 30 years as part of a package deal to bring it home.

“Some kid hit it out in California,” Van Oost recalled. “Sold it for $1.1 million. Insane.”

Of course, not every prospect pans out. There are plenty of swings and misses in the card world. But for collectors with the eye—and luck—for spotting talent early, the payoff can be life-changing.

Van Oost, for one, is all-in.

“I mean, I’m banking on it,” he laughed. “Who needs a 401K when we’ve got sports cards?