Beckett Sports Card Hot / Cold – July 3, 2023

It’s a new month for Beckett Sports Card Hot/Cold but it’s still the same quick and fun look at what’s hot and what’s not in the worlds of sports and sports cards.

The legend of Shohei Ohtani continues to grow. He currently sits alone at the top of the MLB home run leaderboard with 31. Fifteen of those came in June. He’s up to 68 RBI and even has 11 stolen bases. Not bad for someone who also happens to be one of the most dominant starting pitchers in the game right now as well. Off the mound, he’s tops in MLB in BAA third in strikeouts.

It can’t be said enough. Ohtani is something special. The longevity isn’t there yet, but the lofty comparisons to Babe Ruth are certainly not off.

Save for a spell few years ago when he was still recovering from injury, Ohtani’s cards have been among the most popular in the hobby. Things are going to another level this year as he continues to dominate on both sides and he’s proving his greatness over a prolonged period of time and not just for a short span.

With the 2023 NHL Draft now complete, Connor Bedard is officially a part of the Chicago Blackhawks franchise. The much-lauded prospect landed in one of the biggest hockey markets, creating a potentially perfect storm for 2023-24 NHL products — at least once he starts playing. Hockey has strict rules about players appearing on NHL cards only after their debuts. That’s likely going to require some lead time for Upper Deck, even if Bedard suits up for Chicago on opening night. Eventually collectors will have tons to choose from, but it might take a bit to get there. For now, though, he does have several minor league and Team Canada cards.