Tony Batista Autographed 1998 Upper Deck #638 Arizona Diamondbacks Card

Add an early Arizona Diamondbacks issue of future two-time All-Star Tony Batista with this Tony Batista autographed 1998 Upper Deck #638 Arizona Diamondbacks card. Upper Decks flagship release was known for its photography-focused presentation, and card #638 features Batista during the Diamondbacks inaugural Major League season, an important year in both his career and the history of the franchise.

Batista joined Arizona after being selected from the Oakland Athletics in the 1997 MLB Expansion Draft. During the Diamondbacks first season in 1998, he appeared in 106 games and began showing the power that would become a defining part of his game. Batista hit 18 home runs while establishing himself as a regular presence on the left side of Arizonas infield.

The 1998 season proved to be an important step in Batistas development as a power hitter. He combined for 31 home runs between Arizona and Toronto in 1999 before enjoying his biggest offensive season with the Blue Jays in 2000, when he blasted a career-high 41 home runs with 114 RBI and earned his first American League All-Star selection.

Batista went on to become a two-time MLB All-Star and finished his Major League career with 1,146 hits, 221 home runs and 718 RBI. The 1998 Upper Deck #638 combines the appeal of an early Tony Batista card with its connection to the Diamondbacks inaugural season, making it an excellent addition for Arizona collectors, Batista fans, Upper Deck collectors or collectors assembling comprehensive autographed player runs.

Autograph Guarantee: Signature obtained through a private signing conducted by Under the Radar Sports Promotions and guaranteed to pass any third-party authentication service.