With every home run, for many, the interest in landing an Aristides Aquino Rookie Card rises. If you’re a traditional RC collector, it’ll be a bit of a wait. But that doesn’t mean the Cincinnati Reds outfielder doesn’t have any cards to chase already.
Aquino signed with the Reds as an international free agent back in 2011. His path through the minors was a fairly typical one and not with a lot of fanfare. For years, Aristides Aquino cards were as quiet as could be. Even his top cards could be had for a few dollars (and less).
Then Aquino started hitting home runs.
2019 isn’t the outfielder’s first stint in the majors. He actually made his debut with Cincinnati in August, 2018. But that stint lasted one game with one at-bat, a strikeout.
Aquino made his way back to the Reds a year later. And the rest is history — literally. Something happened and all of a sudden the outfielder started hitting home run after home run. It took him just 13 games (14 if you include 2018) to get to nine homers. It’s a record-breaking pace that can’t last.
The bigger question for collectors should be what Aquino will be like when he levels off. Is he a superstar in the making or someone on an amazing but brief run? No matter the case, Aquino is 25 already, which will make it harder for his cards to keep up once he does slow down.
When to Expect the First Aristides Aquino Rookie Card
If you’re looking for an Aristides Aquino Rookie Card you’re going to have to wait until 2020. Topps has confirmed that 2020 Topps Series 1 Baseball will have his first base cards. From there, collectors can expect plenty of other cards in the months and sets that follow.
He may still appear in other sets before 2020, but these will either be inserts or cards from prospect-driven sets and not traditional RCs.
Key Early Aristides Aquino Cards
This is not a complete list of Aristides Aquino cards. Rather, it has highlights of some of his top early cards put out before his official Rookie Cards. A full Aristides Aquino checklist is available in the Beckett Database.
2014 Billings Mustangs Grandstand Aristides Aquino
Aristides Aquino’s first minor league card isn’t an easy one to find. That’s because it was made primarily for local fans of Montana’s Billings Mustangs of the Pioneer League. Your best bet for finding one might be directly from the team through their online store.
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2014 Bowman Chrome Prospect Autographs Aristides Aquino #BCAPAA
Easily the most coveted Aristides Aquino card, this one is found in packs of 2014 Bowman Chrome Baseball. First Bowman Chrome autographs are the cornerstone for most modern baseball players. It’s elevated here even further as it’s Aquino’s only 2014 MLB card. Most players get a basic Prospects card as well without the signature, not to mention appearances in other Bowman sets. This isn’t the case for Aquino.
It’s also his only 2014 autograph.
With Aquino’s fast start with the Reds, all of his cards have soared. But this one in particular has set the pace.
Like all first Bowman Chrome autographs, the main factors for its appeal are there including brand affinity, full MLB uniforms and marks and on-card signature. Something else that’s notable is the quality of the signature itself. Even it’s not exactly Killebrew-ian, it is of a higher quality than other early autographs of the slugger.
In addition to the regular version, the 2014 Bowman Chrome Aristides Aquino autograph has a large Refractor rainbow for those looking for further rarity.
Parallels: Refractors (/500), Blue Refractors (/150), Black Refractors (/99), Bubble Refractors (/99), Green Refractors (/75), Black Wave Refractors (/50), Gold Refractors (/50), Blue Wave Refractors (/50), Orange Refractors (/25), Black Static Refractors (/15), Carbon Fiber Refractors (/10), Purple Refractors (/10), Purple Bubbles Refractors (/10), Social Media Refractors (/10), Orange Wave Refractors (/5), Red Refractors (/5), Printing Plates Black (1/1), Printing Plates Cyan (1/1), Printing Plates Magenta (1/1), Printing Plates Yellow (1/1), Superfractors (1/1)
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2015 Elite Extra Edition Aristides Aquino #143
With autographs getting too expensive for some, the 2015 Elite Extra Edition Aristides Aquino offers something on the more affordable side. Although it came out the season after the Bowman Chrome autograph, it’s his first unsigned base-style card to come out of a mainstream pack.
Even if it’s not at the same levels of his autographs, this one surged during his hot MLB start.
Parallels: Aspirations Die Cut (/200), Status Purple Die Cut (/150), Status Blue Die Cut (/100), Status Emerald Die Cut (/25), Status Orange Die Cut (/10), Status Gold Die Cut (/5), Status Black Die Cut (1/1)
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2015 Elite Extra Edition Prospect Autographs Aristides Aquino #143
2015 Elite Extra Edition has an autograph as well that has the same general design as the base card. There are a couple of things to note if you’re looking for this one. Autographs found in packs have a guarantee on the back. Even more noticeable is the fact that the signature comes on a sticker.
Base cards from the set are popular choices for in-person and through the mail autograph collectors. So if you see one that’s signed on-card, it was done after the fact and not the one included in packs.
Parallels: Aspirations Die Cut (/100), Status Purple Die Cut (/75), Status Blue Die Cut (/50), Red Ink (/25), Status Emerald Die Cut (/25), Green Ink (/10), Status Orange Die Cut (/10), Status Gold Die Cut (/5), Printing Plates Black (1/1), Printing Plates Cyan (1/1), Printing Plates Magenta (1/1), Printing Plates Yellow (1/1), Status Black Die Cut (1/1)
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2015 Panini Contenders International Ticket Autographs Aristides Aquino #16
2015 Panini Contenders Baseball is another place to find early Aristides Aquino signature. The International Ticket Autographs highlight players from around the world with this card noting Aristides’ Dominican heritage.
Parallels: Blue Foil, Red Foil, Cracked Ice (/23), Playoff Ticket (/15), Championship Ticket (1/1), Printing Plates Black (1/1), Printing Plates Cyan (1/1), Printing Plates Magenta (1/1), Printing Plates Yellow (1/1)
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2015 Panini Contenders Prospect Ticket Autographs Aristides Aquino #15
Aristides is also part of the larger Prospect Ticket Autographs lineup in 2015 Contenders. It has the same general layout, which is intended to invoke a feeling of a sports ticket, as the International version. Even the parallel lineup is the same. It ultimately comes down to which photo and color scheme one prefers.
Parallels: Blue Foil, Red Foil, Cracked Ice (/23), Playoff Ticket (/15), Championship Ticket (1/1), Printing Plates Black (1/1), Printing Plates Cyan (1/1), Printing Plates Magenta (1/1), Printing Plates Yellow (1/1)
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2019 Topps Now Aristides Aquino #665
The first Aristides Aquino card to showcase him as a major leaguer came out within hours of his three home run performance versus the Chicago Cubs. Part of 2019 Topps Now Baseball, it was available for just 24 hours through the Topps website. In that time it sold 1,569 copies.
With Aquino continuing to hit home runs and break records, he’s had several other Topps Now cards since.
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Missed the international passport card
@Bob – The list does not include everything. It’s intended to be highlights of key cards from what’s out there.