Making a quick flip: Tips on which players to target for short-term investments

So you’re looking to collect baseball cards in hopes of making a quick flip and a quick buck.
There’s inherently more risks in doing so but here are some tips that could help you pick the player that gives you the best bang for the buck.
Players to target: Prospects and up and comers who look poised to take a step forward and valued at fair price.
The rule of thumb is this, you are looking for a player who you project to be perennial all-star candidate AND with a card valuation that has room to grow. I use the word perennial because every year there are all-stars who are not top-end players (Brock Holt, Josh Harrison, Michael Saunders). Here we are looking for potential top-25 players or higher.
The problem is that some players and prospects can be hyped so much that their card value has little room to grow unless they become the next Mike Trout.
For example, at the time of this article’s publication, top prospect Yoan Moncada’s 2016 Bowman Chrome base auto prospect card (graded 9.5) had an average selling price of $288. By comparison, former teammate Mookie Betts 2014 Bowman Chrome base auto rookie had an average selling price of $227.
There is a lot to like about Moncada as a baseball player, but why not save $60 and invest in the card of a player who is valued below his peers despite finishing 2^nd in American League MVP voting (and probably should have won the award if it weren’t for the greatness of Mike Trout).
If you can master comparing and projecting players to one another, you will put yourself in a great position to make wise investments.
DK
Want a more long-term investment? Read some tips here on which cards to scout.