There’s a new name to add to the list of the best players in all of the MLB. After a stellar first half of the season and an amazing performance in the Home Run Derby, Julio Rodriguez has cemented himself as one of the game’s next big stars.
Despite finishing second in the derby, Rodriguez put on quite a show. Rodriguez hit a combined 63 home runs in the first two rounds while also knocking off the two-time reigning champion, Pete Alonso.
Over this past week of content released in MLB The Show 22, Rodriguez received two brand new cards. One for the All-Stars of the Franchise and the other for the Home Run Derby. So which card is better and which should you choose, let’s take a look.
💎Topps Now players💎
Collect all 11 Topps Now Players in the month of July to add 💎 Mike Yastrzemski to your squad.#MLBTheShow pic.twitter.com/uAsZMxw4oE
— MLB The Show (@MLBTheShow) July 21, 2022
Let’s first take a look at Julio Rodriguez’s All-Star Card that was released with the All-Stars of the Franchise Program.
All-Star Card
This card is a 97 overall. His stats are overall very good. His stats against righties are 90 con and 86 pow. Against lefties, he is even better with 108 con and 114 pow. What really sets this card apart from the rest is the speed. He has 99 speed, 94 steal and 98 base running aggressiveness.
Additionally, on this card, Julio has great defense. 89 fielding, a 97 arm with 88 reaction and 72 acceleration. The only down stat here is the 72 acceleration, but that is easily made up for with his 99 speed.
This is a great card to use and is much more obtainable than his Home Run Derby card. So now let’s take a look at his other card.
Home Run Derby Card
Julio Rodriguez’s Home Run Derby Card has some small differences from the other card. He has increased hitting stats at the loss of defense and speed stats.
His hitting stats are all better than the All-Star card except for one stat, contact against lefties. Rodriguez’s contact stats are 102 against righties and 103 against lefties. His power stats are both 124, one away from the max.
His defense is where it falls off. Compared to the All-Star card with diamond defense, the Home Run Derby card has silver. His stats are 64 fielding, 92 arm, 62 acceleration and 63 reaction, significantly decreased from the other card. The decreased defensive attributes are something that always happens to Home Run Derby cards.
His speed is still elite with a minus one decrease to 98. His 84 steal and 88 base running aggressiveness despite being lower, are still considered elite.
The Final Verdict
Both cards are great don’t get us wrong, but they are different. If you value defense over offense, then the All-Star Card is for you. If you value offense over defense, then the Home Run Derby Card is for you.
For those who want the Home Run Derby card, the only setback is the availability. The card is hard to pull out of packs for two reasons. One, the pack is expensive at 30,000 stubs and two, the rare round is difficult to pull. Additionally, the card is very expensive in the market, currently costing around 220,000 stubs.
With all the information given, we hope you make the best choice for which Julio Rodriguez card you want in your lineup.
