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Adrian Beltre was one of the best third basemen of his generation both offensively and defensively, and with 3,166 career hits to go along with 93.5 WAR over 21 seasons, and he reached the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year on the ballot as a Class of 2024 member.
All told, there are more than 8,500 Adrian Beltre cards, according to the Beckett database. So where does one begin putting together an Adrian Beltre PC?
These 10 cards serve as an excellent representation of the newest Hall of Famer’s playing career and footprint on the hobby, making them a great place to start.
1997 Best #21 Adrian Beltre
The Dodgers signed Beltre on July 7, 1994 for a $17,000 bonus, though he did not make his pro debut until the 1997 season when he hit .284/.366/.519 with 27 doubles, 26 home runs and 99 RBI in 131 games between Single-A and High-A as a 17-year-old.
He has a team issue card in 1996, but his first widely available minor league card is part of the 1997 Best set. He is actually featured twice on the 100-card checklist, which also features a valuable early card of David Ortiz.