12 Most Valuable 1990 Topps Traded Baseball Cards

1990 Topps Traded #48T David Justice Rookie Card

Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $35

Sixty days or so was all it took for David Justice to become Atlanta's most feared hitter.

And it kinda came out of nowhere.

Selected in the fourth round of the 1985 MLB Draft, the 24-year-old outfielder produced uneven results in five years at the minor-league level.

Furthermore, Justice was pretty unimpressive during his 16-game MLB debut in 1989.

In 1990, Justice started the year at Triple-A following rehab from a broken cheekbone.

He played 12 games for Richmond before the Braves called him up to play out of position at first base.

Justice produced strong numbers despite seeming uncomfortable in the infield.

The real fun began after team legend Dale Murphy was cleared out of right field via an early August trade.

"I only had a great two months. It's hard to know what kind of year I could have had," Justice said. "I never have had 500 at-bats. I don't know what I can do."

Those two months were something else.

As the rest of the NL-worst Braves sputtered, Justice detonated.

He finished the campaign slashing .283/.320/.403 with 28 home runs, most of which were hit after Murphy was sent packing.

It was a seismic impact that nearly earned him a unanimous NL Rookie of the Year nomination.

1990 Topps Traded #6T Carlos Baerga Rookie Card

Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $25

The trade that brought Sandy Alomar to Cleveland is an all-time steal.

On the other end of the deal, Joe Carter played just one year with San Diego before heading to Toronto on a multi-year pact.

As for the Indians, they got a franchise catcher who made six All-Star Games in thirteen years with the club.

They also got Carlos Baerga, an essential piece of the team's 1995 run to an AL pennant.

In 1990, Baerga wasn't yet what he'd eventually become.

He played 108 games with the Big League club, primarily split between third base and shortstop, slashing .260/.300/.394 with seven home runs, 17 doubles, two triples, 46 runs scored, and 47 RBIs.

Those are fine numbers, yet his lack of patience was the real story.

He struck out 57 times against 16 walks, good for an unsightly 3.56 K/BB ratio.

As he got more experience and started to relax, Baerga found his eye and became one of the more dangerous hitters of the first half of the 1990s.

1990 Topps Traded #19T Gary Carter

Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $25

After four All-Star seasons, two MVP candidacies, and a 1986 World Series title, the Hall-of-Fame backstop left New York for San Francisco.

Carter was held to just 50 games in 1989 due to a knee injury.

When he was in the lineup, he didn't have the same lift or driving power that made him one of the generation's best-hitting catchers.

The Mets were ready to go younger.

And Carter was still inclined to prove himself.

Compared to the rest of his Hall-of-Fame career thus far, his abbreviated '89 campaign was an aberration.

By the end of the '89 campaign, Carter was fifth on the all-time leaderboard with 1,823 games played.

He still had something to give to a contender, and the reigning NL champion San Francisco Giants agreed.

Carter signed on with the Giants in January 1990, returning to his native California.

The Fullerton native rebounded with an admirable part-time performance in 1990, slashing .254/.324/.406 with nine home runs, ten doubles, and 27 RBIs in 272 plate appearances (244 at-bats).

His .724 OPS was his highest since the Mets' '86 title season.

Most importantly, Carter was a fantastic resource for a Giants team in transition.

San Francisco finished six games out in 1990, the first of seven consecutive seasons outside of the playoffs.

1990 Topps Traded #31T Cecil Fielder

Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $25

Throughout the 1990s, Cecil Fielder was one of the most feared power hitters in the league.

In fact, no player hit more home runs (219) from 1990 to 1995 than Fielder.

But he seemingly came out of nowhere.

Fielder originally made his MLB debut with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1985 but mainly saw part-time work at first base and DH for four seasons.

However, it's understandable when considering the context.

Fred McGriff was doing just fine at first base for the Blue Jays and John Olerud came on strong towards the end of the 80s as a formidable replacement.

So, no one was surprised when Fielder signed with the Detroit Tigers for two years at $3 million ahead of the 1990 season.

And, boy, did he start with a bang in Detroit.

On the last game of the season against the New York Yankees, Fielder sent home runs 50 and 51 of the season over the outfield fence.

That made him just the 11th player in MLB history at the time to hit more than 50 home runs in a season.

His .592 slugging percentage, 51 home runs and 132 RBIs were all MLB bests.

Most will remember Fielder for his time in Detroit, but he also made a significant contribution to the 1996 Yankees championship squad.

1990 Topps Traded #39T Keith Hernandez

Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $25

Keith Hernandez will forever be a Met.

He won a World Series title in New York.

His number was retired by the team in 2022.

And he remains the most distinctive voice of the club's broadcasting team.

Even though he won his lone MVP with the St. Louis Cardinals (1979), he's a Met through and through.

That's what makes his forgotten Cleveland season so intriguing.

After Hernandez missed just under half the previous two seasons due to injury, the Mets cut ties with him and looked to the future.

The Cleveland Indians jumped at the opportunity, inking the 36-year-old first baseman to a guaranteed two-year, $3.5 million contract.

The team's front office banked on a potential bounceback and Hernandez's influence on a young, impressionable club.

While he did fine as a clubhouse leader, his body wasn't ready to play ball.

Hobbled by a list of back and leg injuries, Hernandez played just 43 games, slashing an awful .200/.283/.238 with a homer and eight RBIs in 145 plate appearances (130 at-bats).

He was in obvious pain with nearly every swing.

The 17-year veteran tried to make good on the contract's second year with a 1991 return but ended up retiring with a bulging disk in his back.

1990 Topps Traded #83T John Olerud Rookie Card

Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $25

John Olerud could have been the first Shohei Ohtani.

Instead, he had to settle for being among the most underrated hitters of the 1990s and early 2000s.

In 1988, Olerud was named Baseball America's College Player of the Year after going 15-0 with a 2.48 ERA as a starting pitcher and hitting .464 with 23 homers.

After successful surgery for a life-threatening aneurysm, Olerud returned to WSU for a handful of games in 1989 before latching on with the Toronto Blue Jays as a third-round draft pick.

The Blue Jays knew what they had in Olerud and paid him accordingly, inking him for a jaw-dropping $1 million.

They toyed with a two-way role, even letting him pitch and hit in instructional league play after his brief MLB debut in '89.

Toronto pivoted before the '90 campaign, though, locking Olerud in as a hitter and hitter only.

The 21-year-old was a lefty killer in a platoon DH role (with sporadic first-base appearances), hitting .342 against southpaws.

He ended the year with the second-place Jays slashing .265/.364/.430 with 14 home runs, 15 doubles, a triple, and 48 RBIs.

As Olerud's AL Rookie-of-the-Year case strengthened, he joked away the attention.

"Oh no, I'm not a player," Olerud quipped. "I'm a DH."

(He finished fourth.).

1990 Topps Traded #130T Dave Winfield

Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $25

A change of scenery can be a powerful thing.

The Yankees star became a target for the New York tabloids after missing all of the 1989 season with a back injury.

Eight straight All-Star appearances weren’t enough.

The team had failed to make the playoffs for all but one of the Hall-of-Famer’s seasons in the Bronx, and fingers were starting to point his way.

On top of that, Winfield's contract situation was a mess.

At the end of his record ten-year, $23 million contract, the 38-year-old was dangled in trade talks with several suitors.

So, things got tricky when the Yankees reached an agreement with the California Angels on a one-for-one swap for Mike Witt.

Winfield blocked the deal until the Angels agreed on a contract extension. Instead of remaining with the Yankees during the negotiations, he left twenty games into the ‘90 campaign and waited things out.

Eventually, the Angels signed him up for $3.1 million in ‘91.

Now a pariah in NY, Winfield felt renewed on the opposite coast.

After a sub-mediocre start to the season with the Yanks, Winfield returned to form in 112 games with the Halos.

Visibly happier and seeming much lighter in interviews, he slashed .275/.348/.466 with 19 home runs, 18 doubles, two triples, and 72 RBIs in 470 plate appearances (414 at-bats).

1990 Topps Traded #2T Sandy Alomar

Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $20

It never felt like Sandy Alomar had a chance in San Diego.

Even after winning Baseball America's Minor League Player of the Year award in 1988 and 1989, he could only go so far.

Benito Santiago was entrenched as the Padres' everyday starter, and Alomar would have to change positions to see extended playing time.

The best-case scenario for Alomar and the Padres came before the 1990 campaign when the young backstop was dealt to the Indians (along with Carlos Baerga and Chris James) for Joe Carter.

Alomar was now the #1 man in Cleveland, and he played like it.

The 24-year-old started 118 of his 129 games behind the plate and quickly evolved into the most complete defensive catcher in the American League.

Alomar's catching alone would have made him a smart pick for AL Rookie of the Year.

It was his bat that made it a no-doubter.

Alomar slashed .290/.326/.418 for fourth-place Cleveland with nine homers, 26 doubles, two triples, 60 runs scored, and 66 RBIs in 483 plate appearances (445 at-bats).

Alomar was named as just the third unanimous AL RotY in history, joining Carlton Fisk (1972) and Mark McGwire (1986).

He was also just the third catcher to win the award, alongside Thurman Munson (1970) and Fisk.

1990 Topps Traded #20T Joe Carter

Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $20

Joe Carter's time in San Diego may have been brief, but it was certainly productive.

The Oklahoma City native played in all 162 games and led the National League with 634 at-bats for a sub-par Padres team that finished fourth in the NL West at 75-87.

If there were any negatives about Carter's performance in 1990, his defensive skills may have slipped, and he may not have been as efficient at the plate.

His .232/.290/.391 slash line spoke to that.

But the production was still there.

Carter smacked 24 home runs, drove in 115 runs, scored 79 runs, stole 22 bases and walked 48 times.

And then, just as soon as Carter found himself in San Diego, he found himself on the way out after the season.

The Toronto Blue Jays were facing an issue of overcrowding at first base, with both Fred McGriff and John Olerud being worthy enough of full-time work at the position.

And San Diego was about to lose first baseman Jack Clark to free agency.

So, the teams worked out a deal: Carter and Roberto Alomar would go to Toronto in exchange for McGriff and Tony Fernandez.

It worked out well for Carter, considering he became a five-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger and two-time World Series champ with the Blue Jays.

1990 Topps Traded #63T Kevin Maas Rookie Card

Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $20

If you were a collector in the early 1990s, you know how big the craze was for Kevin Maas rookie cards back then.

With Yankees superstar first baseman Don Mattingly hobbled by injuries, 25-year-old Kevin Maas filled in with extensive playing time at first base and as a DH.

And Maas made the most of it, going absolutely berzerk with a never-before-seen power display to start his career.

Maas first set a then-record for the fewest at-bats needed (72) to reach ten home runs.

And then he did it again on his 133rd at-bat to become the fastest to reach 15 home runs to start his career.

On the season, Maas slashed .252/.367/.535 with 21 home runs, 41 RBIs and 42 runs scored in just 254 at-bats.

In typical fashion, the hobby reacted by sending demand for his rookie cards through the roof.

Many believed he would be next-in-line to take over for Don Mattingly as the next Yankees superstar.

Yet, it didn't turn out that way.

Maas was decent during his sophomore campaign in 1991 but needed nearly twice as many at-bats to produce similar results.

From there, he saw diminished playing time and bounced around the Majors, Minors and even Japan.

Today, this card still brings back plenty of nostalgia for collectors of that era.

1990 Topps Traded #86T Dave Parker

Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $20

Just as Keith Hernandez looked weird in a Cardinals jersey in 1990, Dave Parker looked downright odd decked out in Brewers threads.

The difference between Parker and Hernandez, though, was health and production.

While Hernandez had nothing left to give, Parker was an All-Star contributor at the dish.

After two years as the DH in Oakland, the former Pittsburgh Pirates superstar latched on with Milwaukee on a one-year deal.

Parker didn't have the legs to play defense anymore.

However, the 39-year-old was still a dangerous hitter with a beautiful power stroke.

The former NL MVP (1977) picked up his seventh All-Star nod, hitting to a .289/.330/.451 slash line with 21 home runs, 30 doubles, three triples, 71 runs scored, and 92 RBIs.

He also earned down-ballot MVP consideration and his third (and final) Silver Slugger.

74-win Milwaukee couldn't pitch worth a lick, ending the year third-worst in the Majors with 4.69 runs allowed per game.

Parker and the offense kept them competitive, competent pitching staff or not, finishing tied for fourth with 4.52 runs scored per contest.

1990 Topps Traded #118T Lee Smith

Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $20

The St. Louis Cardinals went into the 1990 campaign searching for a lockdown closer.

They came out of it with one of the best to ever do it.

The Cards acquired Hall-of-Fame reliever Lee Smith from Boston on May 4th, punting on soon-to-be free agent outfielder Tom Brunansky after extension talks broke down.

(It helped that he was in the middle of a 3-for-41 slump before the trade.)

“We needed a stopper guy, and they needed somebody right-handed to hit the ball a long way for them,” Cardinals GM Dal Maxvill said at the time.

Smith turned out to be more than a stopper.

Within a year, he’d be a Cy Young and MVP candidate.

In 1990, he was the good news for an otherwise shallow St. Louis bullpen.

He pitched to a 2.10 ERA in 53 appearances for the 70-92 Cardinals, notching 27 saves and striking out 70 hitters in 68.2 innings.

His 1.136 WHIP with the team was his best since his All-Star breakout in 1983. 

1990 Topps Traded Baseball Cards In Review

The 1990 Topps Traded set has a good mix of rookies, stars, and Hall of Famers within its 132-card checklist.

There are even some nice manager cards of Hall of Famers Bobby Cox and Red Schoendienst as well as potential future Hall of Famer Lou Piniella.

And while the base 1990 Topps set gets most of the attention, and understandably so, there are some collectors out there who really "Topps Traded" sets like this one.

Other information about this set includes:

Checklist: 132 cards 

Distribution: One Series

Subsets:

• Managers (throughout checklist)

Inserts

• Topps Magazine Subscribe and Save
• Topps Magazine / Spring Fever Baseball

Like any of the "Topps Traded", the 1990 release is straightforward in what it promises to deliver: promising rookies, players who changed teams, and new managers.

The set was a great way to stay on top of all the changes during the season that potentially affected your favorite team and players.