Mauer in April 2010 with his 2009 AL MVP Award, 2009 Silver Slugger Award, 2009 AL Batting Champion Award, 2009 MLB Playersʼ Choice Award and 2009 Gold Glove Award.
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Only three catchers in MLB history have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility. Joe Mauer joined Johnny Bench and Ivan Rodriguez on that exclusive list with 76.1 percent voting support.. A three-time AL batting champion and three-time Gold Glove winner, he was the complete package behind the plate before concussions forced him to shift to first base, but at his peak he stacks up to any catcher.
All told, there are more than 7,500 Joe Mauer cards, according to the Beckett database. So where does one begin putting together a Joe Mauer PC?
These 10 cards serve as an excellent representation of his playing career and footprint on the hobby, making them a great place to start.
2002 UD Minor League #188 Joe Mauer
On the clock at No. 1 overall in the 2001 draft, many expected the Twins to select USC right-hander Mark Prior, who was viewed by many as a sure-fire future MLB ace and one of the greatest college pitchers of all-time. Instead, they selected in-state prep star Mauer, who was a Gatorade All-American in baseball and football.
Mauer had a few team issue cards in 2001, but his first major release minor league cards are in the 2002 Just Prospects and 2002 UD Minor League sets. The 400- card UD Minor League checklist also includes Yadier Molina, Miguel Cabrera and Zack Greinke.