The realm of sports collectibles is not new to Evan Longoria’s signature gracing baseball cards, with this Tampa Bay legend being enshrined on the fronts of over a thousand cardboard treasures. However, this week, Longoria became the epicenter of a sensational frenzy, breathing life into a seemingly niche market crossover. Cue fanfare—enter the once-inconceivable lovechild of Pokémon and Major League Baseball.
Slated to appear in the heralded 2025 Topps Tier One Baseball set lies not just any card, but a card with a unique twist: a game-used bat knob embedded into its frame, featuring none other than the fire-breathing Pokémon icon, Charizard, emblazoned across the tip of the lumber. This unexpected and bold fusion is sending shockwaves through both the collectibles and Trading Card Game (TCG) communities, effectively setting their passion ablaze.
In a universe where timing is everything, this card’s debut was nothing short of fortuitous. Pokémon card fever is still gripping enthusiasts worldwide, and the excitement surrounding the upcoming baseball season has collectors chomping at the bit. This singular card serves as a sentimental bridge between two fervent realms, and those within have certainly taken notice.
One of the pioneers sprinting to stake his claim is Alan Narz, the enterprising spirit behind Big League Cards in Casselberry, Florida. Narz didn’t stop at admiration; he put his money where his mouth is—offering a jaw-dropping $100,000 to secure the card.
“We’re all about being the top spot for sports and Pokémon,” he explained with infectious enthusiasm. “Now this card shows up that’s basically the perfect blend of both? We need it.”
In the eyes of Narz, a seasoned player in the card industry, this collectible might just be the first licensed MLB card to flaunt a Pokémon character. While Topps has tiptoed around the Pokémon universe officially before, this convergence—intentional or serendipitous—is one for the history books.
Bat knob cards already possess an alluring mystique, esteemed by collectors for their tantalizing uniqueness. Sawn off from the bottom chunk of a bat and artfully encased in a thick relic card, they have adorned the collections of legends from Babe Ruth to current stars. Combine that desirability with the legendary status of Charizard, and you’ve reached an uncharted level of fervor.
“When Topps works their magic on a card, it hits different,” Narz rhetorically raved.
And he wasn’t alone in being captivated by this exquisite creation.
Mere moments after this tantalizing card stirred social media, keen-eyed collectors identified a Longoria game-used bat, garnished with the identical Charizard sticker atop the knob, delightfully priced at sub-$1,000 on eBay. Jumping onboard the crazy-train was Doug Caskey, the visionary co-founder of the dynamic duo Mojobreak.
Caskey swooped, picking up this celestial relic for the palatable sum of $700. His ensuing social post showcasing the sensational acquisition generated intense buzz—and not solely for financial prudence.
“We’ve got a big Pokémon following and being from the Bay Area, where Longoria played for years, it felt like the right move,” Caskey elaborated.
Caskey’s entanglement with Longoria is anything but recent. When Mojobreak first embarked on their venture in 2010, it was Evan Longoria’s elusive 2006 Bowman Chrome Superfractor card that every collector eagerly pursued. To this day, it remains mysterious, never pulled in public, further fueling legends within hobby circles.
“We were always chasing that Longoria Superfractor,” Caskey reminisced. “And it still hasn’t shown up. It became a thing with us.”
As the fervor continues to bubble over the Charizard bat knob card, Caskey steadfastly maintains hopes of capturing this prize when the Topps Tier One treasure trove officially releases.
“It’s the thrill of the chase,” he observed thoughtfully. “This card—it’s something else. Hunting that down? That’s what the hobby is all about.”
Though the destiny of this scandalously glamorous card remains unknown, its influence is already profound. It transcends mere cardboard—a genuine cultural phenomenon. Whether it ultimately finds sanctuary behind a shop counter in Florida or within a cherished Bay Area display case, it has, indisputably, already carved out its place as a legend in the lore of collectibles.
