Francisco Lindor (11/14/93) is a shortstop who currently plays for the Cleveland Indians. The eighth overall pick in the 2011 MLB Draft, Lindor has already picked up four All-Star picks (2016-19) as well as earning two Gold Glove awards (‘16, ‘19) and a couple of Silver Slugger accolades (‘17, ‘18).
Francisco Lindor Rookie Year Stats: .313 BA | 12 HR | 51 RBIs | 12 SB
We’ve provided a checklist with all his rookie and prospect options, three of his top cards at auction, and an investment outlook for the future. We’ve looked through recent auction data to bring you three of the most popular rookie options.
2011 Francisco Lindor Bowman Chrome Draft Rookie Card #FL
Here is our top-rated Lindor rookie card and also the most expensive. You better come packing if you expect to get the 2011 Francisco Lindor Bowman Chrome Draft Rookie Card, especially at high-end refractor parallels (i.e. Gold Refractor).
The card shows Lindor whipping the ball across the diamond to the first base. His name and position are centered at the bottom while the Cleveland Indians logo is just off-center to the right.
A great Lindor rookie card for high-end investors.
2015 Francisco Lindor Bowman Chrome Rookie Card #89
The 2015 Bowman Chrome has two different versions to choose from and a range of interesting parallels with increasing rarity.
Refractors (/499), Purple Refractors (/250), Blue Refractors (/150), Green Refractors (/99), Gold Refractors (/50), Orange Refractors (/25), Red Refractors (/5), Printing Plates Black (1/1), Printing Plates Cyan (1/1), Printing Plates Magenta (1/1), Printing Plates Yellow (1/1), Superfractors (1/1)
One of the main differences is that one has an autograph, while the signed card also has a different image. The reverse quote reads.
2010 Francisco Lindor Bowman Chrome Rookie Card #USA5
With a first Bowman Chrome logo in the top left corner and a range of refractor parallels, this signed card is a great option if you don’t mind heading back to his prospect years. The quote on the reverse reads;
Trending: Best All-Time Topps Baseball Cards
“Lindor made his USA baseball mark with a clutch effort in 2009. The Montverde Academy star singled, stole second and scored the winning run for the U16 club in a 7-6 victory over Cuba in the gold medal game of the 2009 IBAF “AA” World Youth Championships”.
His 2011 Bowman Chrome card is also highly desirable, and they’ve cheekily added a “1st Bowman Chrome Card” logo to the NFL version.
2015 Francisco Lindor Topps Chrome RC #202 SP
This 2015 Topps Chrome card shows Lindor at the plate, eyes on a ball he just launched with a bat swing.
This card comes from the short print set of rookies that season and thus has a lower quantity on the market, making it harder for investors to get their hands on it. In addition, plenty of different parallels are available, including the 1/1 Superfractor.
Parallels: Green Refractors (/99), Gold Refractors (/50), Red Refractors (/5), Printing Plates Black (1/1), Printing Plates Cyan (1/1), Printing Plates Magenta (1/1), Printing Plates Yellow (1/1), Superfractors (1/1)
Honorable Mention
While this card didn’t quite make the top three, it’s still a great option in its own right.
2015 Francisco Lindor Topps Five Star Auto #FSA-FL
Offering something a little different, Lindor’s Five Star card is the first autographed version featuring the player in his MLB uniform. As well as being hard-signed, it’s available with the following parallels:
Gold (/50), Rainbow (/25), Emerald (/5), Five Star (1/1)
The reverse lists a number of key achievements to date;
“2014 Arizona Fall League Rising Star – Hit 11 HRs with 28 SBs in 2014 – Had back-to-back four-hit games in August – Three-time SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game pick – Made 2013 Carolina League All-Star team”
Checklist
- 2015 Bowman Chrome #89
- 2015 Bowman’s Best #3
- 2015 Panini Immaculate #118
- 2015 Panini National Treasures #179
- 2015 Topps Chrome #202
- 2015 Topps Five Star #FSAFL
- 2015 Topps Heritage #717
- 2015 Topps Heritage ’51 Collection #75
- 2015 Topps High Tek #HT-FL
- 2015 Topps Triple Threads #15
- 2015 Topps Update #82
Prospect Cards
Lindor’s prospect cards are also worth checking out as well as the typical range of 2015 rookie cards.
- 2009-10 USA Baseball
- 2010 Bowman Chrome
- 2010 Bowman Sterling
- 2011 Bowman Chrome Draft
- 2011 Bowman Sterling
- 2011 Donruss Elite Extra Edition
- 2011 Leaf Metal Draft
- 2011 Leaf Valiant Draft
Fransico Lindor Rookie Card Value
The most expensive Fransico Lindor rookie card is the 2011 Bowman Chrome Gold Refractor as this bad boy clocks in at more than $4k (sold on eBay 11/10/2020 for $4,494).
If you are looking to purchase a Lindor RC and need help, please email us at advice@goldcardauctions.com
Buyers Guide and Investment Advice
After a slow start to life an MLB player, Lindor soon established himself as one of the best shortstops in the league. At 27, he still has a while left at the top, but it doesn’t seem like Cleveland will have enough money to satisfy his wage demands.
Persistent rumors surrounding his future have rumbled since the off-season, while his current contract ends in 2021. The Yankees are seen as a possible destination for Lindor, while his current side will probably choose to cash in via trade if they can’t stump up the money to secure his services in later years.
Why is any of this important in terms of his rookie cards? A move to a more successful side would likely add more accolades, while he’ll have a greater chance of going far in the playoffs. A World Series win is going to be difficult for an Indians team that has bowed out in the first round for the past two years, so much depends on where he spends the next few seasons.