Eric Hosmer is Passing the Game Down, One Card at a Time

By Matthew Searle - July 16, 2026

July 16, 2026

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2011 Topps Triple Threads #136 Eric Hosmer JSY AU RC /99

The defining moment of Eric Hosmer’s baseball career came on November 1, 2015. On that night, the first baseman and his Kansas City Royals teammates secured the franchise’s second World Series title with a win over the Mets at Citi Field. Hosmer played a pivotal role in the decisive Game 5 with a mad dash to the plate that tied the score in the ninth inning.

The four-time Gold Glove winner officially retired in 2024, but he remains close to the game as a television analyst for the Royals. During a recent return to Citi Field, Hosmer discussed his love of card collecting and how he hopes to share the passion with his preschool-aged son, Jack.

Hosmer has been collecting on and off for the past few years after his cousin, who works at a card shop in New Jersey, introduced him to the hobby. He started by collecting football cards before his interests shifted after retirement.

“Once I stopped playing, I started wanting to collect baseball because I really believe in this ’25 rookie class with Konnor Griffin and all those guys,” Hosmer said. “So that’s the class that has me believing.”

Although he is relatively new to collecting, Hosmer says, “I’m slowly learning, but it’s a fun community and it’s a fun hobby.” He is excited about rising stars like Jac Caglianone and hopes to add more Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge cards to his collection. But for Hosmer, the hobby is about more than his own enjoyment – it’s also a way to share his love of the game with his son.

“I’m just kind of starting a collection for my son right now,” Hosmer said. “It’s something I did as a young kid, and I didn’t really take it too seriously. I just loved the cards. So, I’m just gonna kind of have the cards for him and see where it takes him but get his collection going.”

Hosmer’s mother collected his cards throughout his career, and he is now continuing the tradition with Jack. He keeps cards of former teammates in a separate binder, creating a personal archive of the friendships and memories from his playing days. “I can tell my son about each guy, say I played with him and whatever the story is that comes with it,” Hosmer said.

His favorite recent pull is what he believes to be a one-of-one Derek Jeter lumber card, a keepsake he already has earmarked for Jack. “Jeter’s my hero, man. He’s a winner,” said Hosmer, who grew up a Yankees fan.

Other favorites in his collection are an Eddie Murray knob card and a Bryce Harper bat card.

Hosmer made his mark on baseball history in 2015. Now, he’s passing that history on to his son, one card and one story at a time.