Matt Strahm isn’t saying he's the biggest collector among active major-leaguers, but he also isn’t not saying it.
“Value of collection, I would say not even close,” the Philadelphia Phillies All-Star reliever said. “But greatest, like authentic collection, most amount of cards ... Yes, I would think I have the most amount of cards.”
Over the past seven years, the long-haired lefty has turned from a novice collector to one of the hobby’s most enthusiastic patrons, most thoughtful gift-givers and most trustworthy voices in the world of baseball cards, even turning teammates into hardcore collectors.
Like many, Strahm collected sports and Pokémon cards of all kinds as a kid, giving special favoritism to 2002 World Series champion Darin Erstad.
Strahm is one of just a handful of players from North Dakota to ever make the big leagues. Though Yankees great Roger Maris stands out above the rest, during Strahm’s childhood that honor of North Dakotan representation belonged to Erstad, who was a two-time All-Star outfielder for the Angels.
In turn, he stood out as Strahm’s favorite player, and since most residents of North Dakota root for Minnesota teams, Strahm found ways to trick friends into trading him their Erstad cards by offering them Twins or Vikings cards in exchange.
But, like many, Strahm’s love of the hobby waned during his teenage and early adult years.
In fact, his brother, Ben, traded all Strahm’s Pokémon cards for a skateboard.
His sibling redeemed himself, however, because it was Ben who helped Strahm re-discover his love for the hobby.
Like his older brother, Ben was a pitcher and was drafted by the Giants in 2018. Strahm, at the time, was playing for the Padres and living in Arizona, where Ben moved in with him.
During Ben’s collegiate years, he and his friends would flip cards for extra cash, and he continued doing so as a side gig in the offseason after he was drafted.
So one night, when Strahm went to Target to pick up some things for his wife, he picked up a box of cards as well.
When he returned home to open them, a wave of nostalgia engulfed him that only strengthens each year.
“It was like turning 12 years old again,” Strahm said. “I don't think consecutive weeks have gone by since that day that I haven’t opened cards.”
But like anyone entering the hobby, there was a learning curve. Initially, Strahm, a self-proclaimed pack-rat, ripped every pack he could get his hands on, a trend that continued at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
By 2022, he found his niche in Bowman and Topps, specifically Bowman 1st, Topps Chrome and Topps flagship (Series 1 and 2). If he wants to treat himself, he’ll purchase Topps Chrome Sapphire.
Whatever he purchases, though, is always baseball.
“I always say ‘stick to what I know,’” Strahm said. “Especially with the prices of what football and basketball have done over the years.”
And he certainly knows baseball cards, which he explores in great length as the host of “The Card Life.” Strahm began hosting the show in June of 2021, and it can be found on regional sports networks across the country.
Strahm travels the United States in search of the best stories to tell, and his journeys always re-ignite his passion for the hobby as well as inspire tremendous creativity.
In June 2023, Strahm met and featured Will Elmore in Denver’s episode of “The Card Life.” Elmore is also known as “the card belt guy,” because he does just that, makes belts out of trading cards.
In July 2024, when Strahm earned his first MLB All-Star appearance, he saw the perfect opportunity.
“I remember calling my wife, telling her I made it to the All-Star Game,” Strahm said, and then my mom and dad. And then as soon as I was done with that, I immediately texted Brandon Verzal, who's the producer of ‘The Card Life,’ and I was like, ‘Yo, the guy we had on ‘The Card Life’, we need to see if he can make me a belt for the All-Star Game.’”
In just about one week’s time, Elmore turned around two card belts for Strahm. One for the actual game, and another for the Home Run Derby.
Following the All-Star Game, Strahm and his belt were featured in a Topps NOW release, with Topps selling nearly 2,000 cards. Strahm ordered 100 for himself.
That, like many stories, is what Strahm has found so promising about the hobby while hosting the show. It wouldn’t have been possible without the altruism of people within the business.
During a trip to Seattle in Season 2 of “The Card Life”, Strahm met Dave Eskenazi, who works in asset management, but whose passion is in sports history and preservation.
Knowing Strahm’s background, Eskenazi gifted the pitcher a card of James “Truck” Hannah, a catcher for the Yankees from 1918-1920, a former roommate of Babe Ruth and the first MLB player ever from North Dakota.
“People are so generous in this hobby,” Strahm said.
And Strahm tries to replicate that with gifts for teammates and fans.
Fellow Phillies Kyle Scwarber and Brandon Marsh know Strahm is the go-to card man in the Philly locker room. And they have instructed Strahm to keep his eyes out for any of their rare cards.
So, when a friend of Strahm’s reached out saying he had a 1/1 Schwarber relic, Strahm arranged for them to meet at a Phillies’ batting practice, where Schwarber would be gifted his 1/1 card.
“He lit up like a 12-year-old, “Strahm said. “But I also explained to him, ‘Kyle, your son's 3 years old right now. He's not really going to remember all of this, but you have these to maybe spark a memory.”
After Craig Kimbrel notched his 400th save, Strahm purchased Kimbrel’s Topps Now 1/1 400 save card as a gift for Kimbrel and his then-18-month-old son.
The only cards Strahm doesn’t keep are the ones he trades and gifts away.
Some even come in the form of rivals.
Perhaps the most notable recipe of Strahm’s collecting, even more than owning 41 of his own 1/1s, is he procures cards of anyone who hit a home run off him, and if they homer twice, he asks them to sign a card.
When he and Trevor Story became teammates with the Red Sox in 2022, Strahm asked him to sign one of his two Story Topps Chrome Rookie Orange Parallels /25.
But rather than keeping it, he gifted it to Story for his teammate’s newborn son.
“He thought it was funny, “Strahm said. “The reason I had it is because he's taken me deep twice, but now his son has one of those cards.”
Strahm’s personal collection has never been about money. It has always been about doing what makes him and others happy.
Despite having a card collection nearing 1 million, Strahm’s goal is whatever his daughter’s goal becomes.
“If she enjoys collecting, I hope she adds to it, Strahm said. “If she enjoys knitting, I hope she sells them and buys some cool needles. I do it because I enjoy it. I don't look at values. I don't follow values ... Buy what you like.”
Matt Liberman is a reporter and video producer for cllct.