On a night when Hyeseong Kim etched his name into Major League Baseball lore with his first home run, the trading card giant Topps swooped in to chronicle the electrifying moment with a flair worthy of the drama that unfolded at Dodgers Stadium. As Kim’s bat made contact with the leather, sending it soaring 385 feet into the stands against the Oakland A’s, it wasn’t just the ball that seemed to defy gravity. Kim himself has ascended into a celestial trajectory, capturing the imagination of Dodgers fans and collectors alike. So much so, that Topps has decided to immortalize this nascent legend with an exclusive card release that would make the heart of any memorabilia aficionado skip a beat.
At just 21, Kim is in the midst of a debut season that has seen his bat alight with promise, not just a single moment of fireworks. With a batting average of .360 and an equally impressive OPS of .840 in his first 11 games, Kim appears to have integrated seamlessly into a Dodger’s roster that could easily overshadow lesser lights. But not Kim. His determination and undoubted talent have made him impossible to ignore, and the mighty homer seems to be just the beginning of a storied career.
Enter Topps Now—a product line known for its ability to penalize nostalgia by encapsulating baseball’s most ephemeral magic tricks into physical remembrance. The company has responded to Kim’s milestone by releasing a commemorative card that seethes with potential, not unlike the rookie’s burgeoning career. And what better way to mark such an entrance than with a 1-of-1 on-card autograph inscribed with the words “First Home Run.” The inscriber, of course, is Kim himself. This card, slipped tantalizingly into one lucky order, is bound to become an heirloom in the annals of Dodgers memorabilia.
But let us not confuse this release as exclusively catering to whoever picks the lottery’s winning ticket. The rest of the pile contains 15 other autographed gems, shuffled with versions numbered to /10 and /5, ensuring each holds a particular rarity. If you think this is akin to finding golden tickets, you wouldn’t be entirely wrong.
As befits this monumental moment, Topps has refrained from holding back on the additional goodies. Collectors can also discover a variety of increasingly rare card versions beyond autographs. These include Gold Foil (/50), Orange Foil (/25), Black Foil (/10), Red Foil (/5), and for those with the patience and luck of Job, a single 1/1 FoilFractor. Such entries add layers of excitement—perfect ingredients for the age-old story of baseball and collecting.
Taking an international cue, Topps gives a nod to Kim’s South Korean roots with a super short Korean-language print—a marvelous detail that adds cultural resonance to this collectible moment. There’s also a short-printed image variation for those who appreciate a taste of exclusivity.
Topps Now offers a buffet of options for collectors, priced at tantalizing tiers—a single card at $11.99, a quintet at $49.99, a decuplet at $89.99, or a hefty score at $169.99. Orders are open for only a fleeting 24 hours, and each card is printed to order, solidifying each as a uniquely timed replicant of a moment gone but not forgotten.
For fans of the Dodgers, and budding baseball enthusiasts following Kim’s metamorphosis, this isn’t just about obtaining a card—it’s about capturing a moment that extends beyond the confines of a baseball diamond. This Topps Now release is akin to owning a piece of an unfinished narrative. How will Kim’s story evolve? Time will bear witness, but this card, with its first autograph and quiet nod to heritage, is poised to age like a fine vintage.
And so, while the ink dries on these cards, and the dust settles from his home run trot, one thing is clear: Hyeseong Kim has arrived, and much like his commemorative card, he’s shaping up to be pretty priceless. As baseball lore continues to shape itself around its newest talent, fans, collectors, and the curious alike can secure a piece of history—a tangible fragment of baseball mythology in the making.
