Jacob Misiorowski needed just one pitch to make World Series history. His sports card market, however, is telling a more complicated story.
The Milwaukee Brewers pitcher opened Game 1 against the Tampa Bay Rays on October 23 with a 103.5 mph fastball, the fastest World Series pitch recorded since MLB began tracking velocity in 2008.
Misiorowski went on to allow one run across five innings in Milwaukee’s 3-2 victory, adding another milestone to a remarkable 2026 season.
Trading activity involving his rookie cards was also elevated Friday. According to Card Ladder sales data reviewed by Heavy, recorded transactions involving Misiorowski’s 2026 Topps Chrome #196 cards increased approximately 153% from the previous day.
But while collectors were buying and selling more cards, prices weren’t necessarily following suit.
103.5mph to start the night
Jacob Misiorowski Rookie Card Sales Jump 153%
Card Ladder recorded 91 transactions dated October 23 involving Misiorowski’s 2026 Topps Chrome #196 rookie card and its various parallels, compared to 36 on October 22.
That’s a 152.8% increase in recorded trading activity.
The figures include base cards, refractors and other variations, rather than 91 sales of the same card. Exact transaction times were unavailable, meaning the increase cannot be attributed directly to Misiorowski’s World Series performance.
More significantly, the additional trading activity didn’t translate into a comparable increase in base rookie card prices.
Among apparent ungraded 2026 Topps Chrome #196 base-card sales reviewed by Heavy, the median price was approximately $2.74 on October 22 and $2.75 on October 23.
Six additional transactions recorded October 24 had a median price of $2, although that sample represented only part of the day.
In other words, collectors were trading Misiorowski cards more frequently, but his standard Chrome rookie wasn’t suddenly commanding substantially higher prices.
The high-end market offered an even more striking example.
Jacob Misiorowski $15,000 Bowman Autograph Sells for $11,100
One of Misiorowski’s most desirable prospect-era cards experienced a notable decline in its reported sale price even as the Brewers reached the World Series.
A 2022 Bowman Draft Chrome Gold Refractor Autograph numbered 41/50, graded PSA 10, was recorded in a $15,000 transaction through Fanatics Collect in September.
The same physical card sold at a Fanatics Premier auction on October 23 for $11,100, including the buyer’s premium.
That’s a $3,900 difference, or a 26% decline.
The transactions can be linked through PSA certification number 124896142, eliminating the uncertainty that comes from comparing different copies of a scarce card. The PSA 10 grade applies to the card, while its autograph is authenticated but not numerically graded.
The transactions also used different sale formats, and the data does not establish whether the October auction concluded before or after Misiorowski’s World Series appearance. The September transaction’s precise date also differs between available records.
Still, the comparison underscores an important distinction: historic performances don’t automatically produce higher prices for collectibles that were already expensive.
Other Bowman autograph sales illustrate the same tension.
Card Ladder’s observed median for Misiorowski’s 2022 Bowman Draft Refractor Autograph /499, graded PSA 10, decreased from $4,250 in September to $3,100 in October. Those figures are based on just three transactions in each month, however, making them insufficient to establish a market-wide trend.
Jacob Misiorowski Cards Have Already Experienced a Massive Price Boom
The biggest movement in Misiorowski’s card market happened well before his World Series debut.
Following his June 12, 2025, MLB debut, collectors aggressively pursued his 2022 Bowman prospect autographs.
Sports Illustrated reported on June 26, 2025, that Card Ladder had recorded 33 Misiorowski transactions of at least $1,000 since his debut, compared to seven before it.
That momentum eventually produced some extraordinary transactions.
A 2022 Bowman Draft Chrome Superfractor Autograph 1/1, graded PSA 10, sold through Fanatics Collect for $52,800 in July 2025, including the buyer’s premium.
And the gains weren’t limited to one-of-one cards.
A 2022 Bowman Draft Chrome base autograph PSA 10 recorded a $148 transaction on June 10, 2025. A comparable PSA 10 sold for $2,225 on October 19, 2026 — approximately 1,403% higher.
Misiorowski has since backed up that early excitement with an exceptional season. He led MLB with a 1.80 ERA and 252 strikeouts in 2026 before opening the World Series with a record-setting fastball.
Yet with that success already reflected in some of his most coveted cards, the distinction between growing interest and rising prices has become increasingly important.
Collectors can still purchase many of his standard ungraded Topps Chrome rookies for only a few dollars. His scarce, graded Bowman autographs occupy an entirely different market, with individual examples commanding thousands or even tens of thousands.
Misiorowski’s first World Series appearance gave collectors another historic moment to celebrate.
Whether it gives his most expensive cards another sustained increase in value is a different question.
Jacob Misiorowski Rookie Card Trading Surges as Prices Tell Different Story