Long before collectors chased refractors and autographs, former Victor Valley High School standout Rudy Redmond quietly became the first known athlete with local ties to appear on a nationally distributed trading card. His lone appearance in the 1973 Topps football set, featuring him in a Detroit Lions uniform, marked the beginning of a collecting legacy.
More than 50 years later, that small piece of cardboard has become the starting point of an unexpected story. A story that stretches from the NFL to MLB, to the Olympics, UFC championship fights and even professional wrestling.
The arrival of name, image and likeness (NIL) rights allowed trading card manufacturers to sign active college athletes directly, dramatically expanding the number of collegiate products entering the hobby.
Today, dozens of athletes with High Desert roots have been immortalized on trading cards, creating a surprisingly rich collecting history that few people even realize exists.
Most cards sell for just a few dollars, while some can command thousands, and in the rare cases of superstars, in the millions.
For athletes, appearing on a trading card has always represented something far greater than monetary value. It’s a milestone, tangible proof that a player has reached a level worthy of being remembered alongside the biggest names in their sport.
“When I signed my first card that was another big moment in my life as a professional athlete,” said UFC fighter Dominick Reyes, a Hesperia High School graduate. “I’d been immortalized in a Topps trading card. Legit. Yeah, it was an amazing moment that I am very proud of. I’m a kid who grew up in the High Desert and now I’m world renowned. God’s blessings.”
So here we are. The Daily Press put together a list of High Desert athletes to be featured on nationally manufactured trading cards.
Compiling that history wasn’t easy.
Tracking down every athlete proved to be a challenge, requiring countless hours searching manufacturer checklists, databases and hundreds of eBay listings. While every effort was made to make this list as complete as possible, there’s always the possibility another forgotten card is still waiting to be discovered.
If we missed someone, we’d love to hear from you. Email JQuintero@VVDailyPress.com, send a message on Instagram at @760Varsity, or on X, formerly Twitter, at @J0seQuintero.
The bread-and-butter of card collecting
If one sport tells the story of the High Desert’s trading card legacy better than any other, it’s baseball.
From the colorful Topps cards of the 1970s to today’s chrome refractors, patch autographs and one-of-one Superfractors, local players have appeared on cardboard for nearly every major manufacturer. Some enjoyed lengthy major league careers. Others never reached the majors but still earned coveted prospect cards.
The first was Apple Valley’s Jason Thompson.
A fourth-round pick by the Detroit Tigers in 1975, Thompson quickly became one of the premier power hitters of his era. Nicknamed “Rooftop” for his towering home runs, he blasted 208 home runs over a 13-year major league career while earning three All-Star selections.
Collectors first found Thompson in the 1977 Topps baseball set, but his cardboard career stretched through the mid-1980s with Topps, Fleer, Donruss and the iconic Hostess issues packaged inside boxes of snack cakes.
Dan Norman’s cardboard history began just after Thompson’s did.
The Barstow native appeared on a multiplayer rookie card, sharing a 1980 Topps “Future Stars” issue with New York Mets teammates Jesse Orosco and Mike Scott. Norman, who owns a unique place in baseball history after being included in the blockbuster trade that sent Hall of Famer Tom Seaver from the New York Mets to the Cincinnati Reds, eventually got his own issue later on in Topps and Fleer as a member of the Montreal Expos.
Another Barstow graduate, Aaron Sanchez became the face of the modern collecting era, among local baseball players.
Long before reaching the Toronto Blue Jays, Sanchez dominated Southern California baseball as a two-time Daily Press Baseball Player of the Year. The first-round draft pick debuted on Bowman prospect cards in 2010 before graduating to flagship Topps rookie cards four years later.
His card catalog mirrors the evolution of today’s hobby. Early Bowman Chrome prospect cards, low-numbered autographs and one-of-one parallels, and also particularly a dual autograph featuring fellow top prospect Daniel Norris and another premium insert pairing him with future American League MVP Mookie Betts.
Jason Vargas carved out one of the longest and most successful careers ever by a High Desert pitcher.
After starring at Victor Valley and Apple Valley High School before becoming a second-round draft pick, Vargas pitched 14 seasons in the major leagues, highlighted by an All-Star selection in 2017 and a start in the 2014 World Series for the Kansas City Royals.
His first Bowman cards arrived in 2004 as a member of the Florida Marlins organization before becoming a fixture in Topps products throughout his career with the Mariners, Angels, Royals, Mets and Phillies.
But some of the most enjoyable discoveries of local baseball players aren’t the stars, but those forgotten names hidden inside older sets made by companies like Topps, Panini and in some cases Fleer.
- Amir Garrett — Garrett was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 22nd round of the 2011 draft out of St. John’s University. Garrett’s first cards first appeared in 2015 Bowman before he reached the majors in 2017 and became a regular in Topps and Panini sets. One of the most expensive Garrett cards, priced at $402.70 on eBay, is a Panini National Treasures booklet patch card with 31 other 2017 rookies, including Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger and Alex Bregman.
- Chris Smith — Smith graduated from Hesperia High School and was drafted in the fourth round out of University of California, Riverside by the Boston Red Sox in the 2002 draft. Smith is featured in 2002 Bowman Draft and in 2008 Upper Deck.
- Cody Puckett — Puckett graduated from Hesperia High School and was drafted in the eighth round of the 2008 draft out of California State University, Dominguez Hills by the Cincinnati Reds. He was featured in 2011 Bowman Chrome.
- David Cooper — Cooper graduated from Hesperia High School in 1993 and was drafted fifth round by the Seattle Mariners. Cooper is featured on a 1994 Topps Draft Pick card.
- Derrin Ebert — Ebert graduated from Hesperia High School in 1994 and was selected in the 18th round of the draft by the Atlanta Braves. He was first featured in 1996 Fleer Excel, before appearance in 1999 Upper Deck SP and Fleer and 2000 Bowman.
- Garett Gentry — Gentry graduated from Victor Valley High School in 1999 by the Houston Astros in the 13th round. Gentry is featured in 2002 Topps Finest with an autograph card with Colorado Rockies.
- Greg Martinez — Martinez graduated from high school in Las Vegas, and then played at Barstow College, where he was drafted in the 24th round of the 1993 draft by the Milwaukee Brewers. He is featured in 1993 Fleer Pro Cards.
- Jacob Mullinax — Mullinax graduated from Sultana High School and was drafted out of University of Nebraska-Lincoln by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 14th round of the 2004 draft. He is featured in 2005 Bowman’s Best.
- Justin Leone — Leone graduated from high school in Las Vegas, and then played at Barstow College before going on to Saint Martin’s University where he was drafted in the 13th round by the Seattle Mariners in 1999. Leone is featured in 2004 Bowman, and also appears on a 2005 Topps prospect card with Felix Hernandez.
- Ken Chenard — Chenard graduated from Victor Valley High School and was drafted out of Fullerton College in the 46th round of the 1998 draft by the New York Mets. Chenard is featured in 2000 and 2001 Bowman.
- Luke Lockwood — Lockwood graduated from Silverado High School in 1999 and was drafted in the eighth round by the Montreal Expos. Lockwood is featured in 2002 Bowman.
- Matt Mitchell — Mitchell graduated from Barstow High School in 2007 and was drafted in the 14th round by the Kansas City Royals. Mitchell is featured in 2009 Bowman.
- Reggie Lawson — Lawson graduated from Victor Valley High School in 2016 and was selected in the second round of the 2016 draft by the San Diego Padres. Lawson was featured in 2016, 2017 and 2019 Bowman. But before graduating, Lawson was featured in the 2015 Elite in a Team USA uniform.
- Ronnie Corona — Corona graduated from Victor Valley High School and was drafted three times before being taken in the sixth round of the 2000 draft out of Cal State Fullerton by the Minnesota Twins. Corona is featured in 2001 Topps Reserve.
- Ryan Christenson — Christenson graduated from Apple Valley High School and was drafted out of Pepperdine University by the Oakland Athletics in the 10th round of the 1995 draft. Christenson, currently the Athletics first base coach, is featured in 1999 Topps.
- Tom Irwin — Irwin graduated from Victor Valley High School and was drafted two times before being selected in the 36th round of the 1992 draft by the Philadelphia Phillies out of Cal Berkley. Irwin is featured in 1993 Fleer ProCards Minor League.
Three gridiron stars immortalized on cardboard
No sport has produced more nationally recognized trading cards featuring High Desert athletes than football.
Barstow’s T.J. Houshmandzadeh boasts one of the deepest card catalogs of any local athlete. His rookie cards appeared across nearly every major manufacturer following the 2001 NFL Draft, including Topps, Bowman and Upper Deck. More recently, Panini has continued celebrating his career through premium autograph inserts.
Hesperia High School graduate Marcel Reece became one of the NFL’s most versatile offensive weapons after reinventing himself from wide receiver into a Pro Bowl fullback with the Oakland Raiders.
His first licensed cards arrived in Topps products before Panini expanded his checklist during the height of his career. While many of his base cards remain affordable, collectors can chase scarce serial-numbered parallels, despite not having any autographs in any sets.
Grant Feasel’s cardboard legacy is considerably smaller, but no less meaningful. The Barstow graduate appeared in the 1990 Topps and Fleer football sets during his decade-long NFL career. One of the most unique collectibles tied to Feasel is a personally signed Fleer card authenticated by PSA.
One-of-ones
One-of-one is a common phrase among collectors. Aaron Long is a true one-of-one, being the only local soccer player to be featured on a trading card. Oh yeah, there’s also that distinction of making a World Cup roster.
The Serrano High School graduate first appeared on a trading card in the 2020 Topps MLS set after establishing himself as one of Major League Soccer’s premier defenders with the New York Red Bulls. Since then, Long has appeared in multiple Topps Chrome MLS releases, with his most coveted cards featuring low-numbered autographs from his time with Los Angeles FC.
Long’s rise to the national stage culminated in 2022 when he earned a spot on the United States Men’s National Team roster for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. While he didn’t appear in a World Cup match, he represented the High Desert on soccer’s biggest stage.
The High Desert’s lone connection to an NBA basketball card is through Jamal Franklin.
A standout at Serrano High School before starring at San Diego State, Franklin became the area’s first NBA Draft selection in more than three decades when the Memphis Grizzlies picked him in 2013.
His rookie-year checklist spans Panini, NBA Hoops, Upper Deck and Fleer products.
The king of the ring
Few athletes from the High Desert have generated as much excitement among collectors as Ryan Garcia.
Raised in Adelanto and Victorville, Garcia entered the hobby in 2019 through Upper Deck’s Goodwin Champions release. Since then, his cards have become some of the most expensive tied to any local athlete, highlighted by low-numbered autograph parallels.
Among the most eye-catching listings is a signed 2019 Goodwin Champions autograph inscribed “King Ry” and numbered to just 50 copies, currently carrying an asking price of more than $5,500 on eBay.
Garcia’s popularity extends beyond trading cards. His likeness has also appeared on an officially licensed Funko Pop, further cementing his place as one of the High Desert’s most recognizable sports figures.
MMA cards also a hot commodity
No sport may better illustrate the evolution of modern trading cards than mixed martial arts.
When Topps acquired the UFC license in 2009, collectors suddenly had a new category to chase, and a pair of fighters with High Desert roots became a small part of the hobby.
Leading the way is Victor Valley High School wrestling legend Dan Henderson.
A true icon, long before becoming one of the most respected names in mixed martial arts, Henderson built his foundation on local wrestling mats. A decorated prep wrestler, he became a national junior champion in both Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestling before representing the United States at the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games.
His trading card resume is nearly as impressive as his fighting career.
Henderson first appeared in licensed UFC products in Topps’ inaugural 2009 release and has remained a fixture in both Topps and Panini sets ever since. While one of his earliest non-UFC wrestling cards from the 1998 Heroes of Wrestling series carries a high asking prices, collectors often seek his premium UFC autograph cards, including a one-of-one 2021 Panini Chronicles Origins autograph currently among the most valuable MMA collectibles tied to the High Desert.
Silverado High School graduate Joe Stevenson also carved out a lasting place in UFC history.
A CIF-Southern Section wrestling champion before becoming the winner of The Ultimate Fighter 2, Stevenson first appeared in Topps’ 2010 UFC release and remained a regular in the company’s products through 2015.
Reyes starred in both football and wrestling at Hesperia High School before turning his attention to mixed martial arts after his college playing days. Reyes climbed the UFC rankings and challenged for the light heavyweight championship, helping elevate his trading cards into some of the hobby’s most desirable modern releases.
His rookie card debuted in the 2018 Topps Chrome UFC set, and he has since appeared in virtually every major UFC release from both Topps and Panini. Among the rarest cards bearing his name is a one-of-one 2021 Panini Prizm Black parallel featuring Reyes during his title fight against Jon Jones, as well as a one-of-one autographed 2019 Topps Knockout card.
The High Desert’s presence in combat sports extends beyond the UFC.
Sultana High School graduate Juan Archuleta, a former Bellator world champion who later competed for Japan’s RIZIN Fighting Federation, earned his trading card in a 2024 Bandai wafer card release in Japan. Though produced exclusively for the Japanese market, the card has become a unique international collectible that can scarcely be found on eBay still sealed in its original packaging.
But the region’s connection to the sport isn’t limited to competitors.
Longtime Barstow resident and former sports editor of the Desert Dispatch, Joe A. Martinez, one of the most recognizable voices in mixed martial arts, received his own trading card in the 2022 Donruss Optic “Voices of the Octagon” subset.
Beyond traditional sports
Trading cards have long expanded beyond baseball diamonds and football fields, and so has the High Desert’s athletic legacy.
Professional wrestling has become one of the region’s most surprising collecting success stories.
Hesperia graduate Melina Perez, better known to WWE fans simply as Melina, made her trading card debut in the 2005 Topps Heritage WWE set before appearing regularly in Topps releases over the next several years.
But perhaps no local names have experienced a bigger rise in popularity than brothers Matt and Nick Jackson.
Known around the wrestling world as The Young Bucks, the longtime High Desert residents helped reshape the independent wrestling scene before becoming executive vice presidents and founding members of All Elite Wrestling. Their earliest cards appeared in the 2010 TRISTAR TNA Generation Me release, but their popularity exploded after AEW launched. The tag team has now been featured in Upper Deck’s AEW sets, with autograph, relic cards and limited tag-team inserts featuring the brothers, while collectors can also find officially licensed action figures and Funko Pop collectibles celebrating one of professional wrestling’s most decorated tag teams.
Another familiar face from AEW, Brandon Cutler, has also entered the hobby. The longtime High Desert resident appears in Upper Deck’s 2025 AEW releases and has been featured on officially licensed action figures alongside fellow members of the promotion.
The High Desert’s collectible history extends to the Olympic stage as well.
Raised in Wrightwood, snowboarder Maddie Mastro has represented the United States in three Winter Olympics while becoming one of the world’s premier halfpipe riders. Her mainstream trading card recently arrived in Topps 2026 Chrome Winter Olympics release.
Long before extreme sports became mainstream television, Hesperia’s Ty Davis was helping define off-road motorcycle racing.
Davis first appeared on motocross trading cards in the late 1980s before earning additional appearances in the 1991 Champs Hi Flyers set. His success as a multi-time AMA champion and eventual AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame inductee also earned him an action figure, likely making him the first High Desert athletes to appear across multiple collectible formats.
After capturing a silver medal during freestyle motocross’s debut at the X Games, Apple Valley’s Mike Cinqmars became a recognizable figure in the sport through Road Champs trading cards and collectible action figures.
His daredevil style and nationally televised stunts helped introduce freestyle motocross to a new generation of fans while giving the High Desert another unexpected place in the hobby.
The NIL boom
Trading cards featuring amateur athletes are nothing new.
Collectors have spent decades chasing USA Baseball releases, Olympic sets, college cards and even high school prospect issues. Long before they became household names, stars such as Michael Jordan, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez all appeared on cards before reaching the professional ranks.
Oak Hills graduate Solomon Bates appeared in Panini’s USA Baseball set in 2012 before returning in 2013 and later earning a spot in the 2014 Leaf Perfect Game Showcase collection. His cards celebrated one of the nation’s top amateur pitchers years before he reached professional baseball when he was drafted by the San Francisco Giants out of USC.
What changed in 2021 wasn’t the existence of amateur trading cards, it was who could have them.
Instead of relying primarily on school licensing agreements, USA Baseball or showcase events, companies like Bowman, ONIT, Leaf, Onyx and Wild Card began producing cards for athletes while they were still competing at the NCAA level.
That shift immediately reached the High Desert.
Hesperia graduate Jaden Shackelford became the area’s first athlete to appear in the new wave of NIL products after starring at Alabama. His 2021-22 Bowman University cards, Topps NOW release, Panini Draft Picks cards and Leaf issues made him one of the first local athletes whose collecting career flourished before playing professionally.
Former Apple Valley quarterback Jayden Denegal and linebacker Gavin Hambrick, Oak Hills offensive linemen Paki Finau and Daylon Metoyer, Serrano’s Garrett DiGiorgio and Adelanto’s Keith Reynolds have all received collegiate trading cards through NIL partnerships, illustrating how dramatically the hobby has changed in just a few years.
As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, USA TODAY Sports will highlight the 250 greatest American sports figures of all time. Alongside that national recognition, the USA TODAY Network will spotlight local hometown heroes, including those featured in this story.
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: From Rudy Redmond to Ryan Garcia: The High Desert’s trading card legacy
