In the world of sports memorabilia, where trading cards are almost sacrosanct, there emerges every so often a singular item that transcends mere collector intrigue to become a full-blown cultural phenomenon. Enter the Evan Longoria card from the upcoming 2025 Topps Tier One Baseball set. What makes this piece of cardboard so special? For starters, it’s inlaid with a game-used bat knob—a unique if not somewhat unusual concept in itself. But hold onto your hats, or perhaps your Poké Balls, because emblazoned on this bat knob is none other than Charizard, the iconic fire-breathing Pokémon. Yes, you read that correctly—a fusion of Major League Baseball and Pokémon.
The melding of these disparate yet passionately loved worlds has lit a veritable bonfire of excitement among collectors. And while Pokémon card fervor shows no signs of abating, baseball fanatics are also on edge with anticipation for the coming season. This card has synthesized these two communities’ passions, sparking an intense demand that one could only describe as a frenzy.
One of the first to jump into the fray was Alan Narz, the purveyor of Big League Cards located in Casselberry, Florida. Now, Narz is not one who merely dabbles in collectibles. His reputation as a seasoned veteran precedes him. However, even an aficionado like Narz was astounded by the Longoria card and promptly proclaimed a $100,000 bounty to whoever captures this elusive treasure.
“We’re all about being the top spot for sports and Pokémon,” Narz declared, clearly sensing the game-changing potential of this card. “Now, this card shows up that’s a flawless blend of both? We need it.” And thus, the gauntlet was thrown.
Remarkably, this may well be the first time an MLB-licensed card has featured any element from the Pokémon universe. Topps, known for experimenting under the official Pokémon brand, has never ventured into such a crossover before. There’s something inherently captivating about a relic card that comes equipped with a piece of actual sports equipment. But the inclusion of a Charizard graphic takes it to another level of collectible desirability.
“When Topps works their magic on a card, it hits different,” Narz remarked with a mixture of admiration and anticipation. He is far from alone in this sentiment.
Almost immediately after the card was teased, enterprising collectors noticed an Evan Longoria game-used bat—complete with the recognizable Charizard sticker on its knob—selling on eBay for under $1,000. Doug Caskey, co-founder of the breaking empire Mojobreak, saw potential and swiftly snapped it up for the bargain price of $700.
“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 noted, the acquisition seemingly as serendipitous as it was strategic.
Caskey’s connection to Longoria and his memorabilia dates back to Mojobreak’s founding years. The 2006 Bowman Chrome Superfractor, being potentially worth its weight in gold, had eluded capture since Mojobreak’s inception in 2010. “We were always chasing that Longoria Superfractor,” Caskey reminisced. “And it still hasn’t shown up. It became a thing with us.”
With the Charizard bat knob card making waves, Caskey’s not merely admiring the card from afar. He’s in the chase, eagerly anticipating its release, like a modern-day Indiana Jones pursuing the Holy Grail. “It’s the thrill of the chase,” he mused. “This card—it’s something else. Hunting that down? That’s what the hobby is all about.”
Whether this remarkable card ends up showcased behind a Floridian glass counter or holding pride of place in a Bay Area collection, it’s apparent that this isn’t just a piece of collectible cardboard. It’s a cultural fusion destined to become legendary. And as it occupies that space of lore and myth, it has already achieved something priceless: It has captured the imagination and hearts of collectors worldwide, creating a buzz that refuses to quiet down.
