Top 5 Cards; Starlin Castro

At one point, Starlin Castro seemed like the franchise player of the Chicago Cubs for years to come. The 4-time All-Star had a fabulous rookie season in 2010 when he hit .300 and drove in 41 runs.

Over the next 5 years in Chicago, he came within 9 hits of reaching the 1,000 hit mark while achieving a respectable .281.

Following the Cubs' turnaround season in 2015 that saw them make the playoffs, Castro was traded to the New York Yankees for Adam Warren and a player to be named later. Though 2015 wasn't the greatest season in his relatively young career, the Cubs seemingly gave up on Castro in favor of their new rookie SS Addison Russell.

Castro spent 2 years with the Yankees. This included an All-Star 2017 season in which he helped lead New York to an ALCS appearance. However, for the 2nd time in his career, Castro was traded away from a team as soon as they made it back to the postseason.

This time, he was traded to the Miami Marlins in the Giancarlo Stanton deal. I've always believed he could have some success in Miami given how poor the rest of his team performs. He's hit .270 since joining the Marlins and got his 1,500th hit earlier this year.

At 29 years old, Castro could sneak his way into the 3,000 hit club if he stays healthy and productive. Given that the Marlins are a poor performing team, he doesn't have the added pressure of making the playoffs that existed in years past. All he really has to do is hit.

Still, I feel a little bad for the guy, so I've been picking up cards for the Castro PC at every chance. I've accumulated 56 cards of Castro, ranging from 2010-2019. Here are my 5 favorites.

#5 2011 Topps

Particularly during his time with the Chicago Cubs, Starlin Castro was known for his defensive abilities at shortstop. He may not have won any Gold Glove awards, but Castro played a spectacular SS, something that was immortalized on cardboard many times.

One of the cards that sheds light on Castro's defensive capabilities is his 2011 Topps Flagship card. With Wrigley Field's classic ivy in the background, he's making a phenomenal play at SS, leaping over the Reds' Miguel Castro, presumably to throw the ball to 1st base.

#4 2013 Topps Gypsy Queen Green Mini Parallel

I'm rarely nostalgic for the Topps Gypsy Queen minis and parallels, for they never stood out in comparison to the Allen & Ginter minis. With that being said, there are a handful of these cards in my collection that I cherish, one of them being this green parallel from 2013 GQ.

I'm indifferent towards the image on the front of this card; it's neither stellar nor lackluster. Rather, it's the full-bleed green on the front and back that sets this parallel apart from most other Gypsy Queen minis. 

The blurb about Castro on the back of this card highlights just how special of a player he was throughout his time with the Cubs. I've always been a huge fan of his and would like nothing better than to see him put up similar numbers in Miami.

#3 2012 Topps Gypsy Queen

If we're talking Chicago Cubs cards, you can never go wrong with the classic home uniform, especially with a beautiful shot of Wrigley Field's ivy or brick in the background. This card does exactly that while making fabulous use of the gorgeous 2012 Topps Gypsy Queen design.

The image is practically perfect for the 2012 GQ design. Better yet, every element of this card works beautifully with one another, resulting in a card that's so classic looking despite being only 7 years old.

#2 2014 Topps Stadium Club

Okay, there might be one Cubs uniform that looks even better than the traditional home jerseys. I'm not sure what this throwback uni is paying homage to, but I'm thrilled that Topps captured this stunning photo for the 2014 Stadium Club set.

Just like the 2012 Gypsy Queen base card, Castro's 2014 Stadium Club card combines a terrific uniform with Wrigley Field's ivy. With that being said, there are a couple things that I could do without.

The umpire doesn't really look like he belongs on this card, nor does the Under Armour advertisement in the background. Despite how unique this card is, it's evident that Stadium Club has become a more polished set over the last few years.

#1 2014 Topps Gypsy Queen Black Mini Parallel

Castro's 2014 Topps Gypsy Queen black mini parallel takes everything that I love about the green mini at #3 and ups the ante. The black fits perfectly with the Gypsy Queen set design, especially on the back of the card where black and white are the only colors present. You almost get a spooky feeling just looking at this card.

Furthermore, the photo on Castro's '14 GQ card is miles better (and clearer) than his 2013 mini. The action shot of the former Chicago Cub at the plate is something we don't usually see on his cards, but I appreciate that Topps included something a little outside the box.

Notice how this entire list featured cards of Castro on the Cubs and that the Yankees and Marlins were left out entirely. Starlin just hasn't had the same energy about him since he was traded away from Chicago, even though he's had respectable seasons with New York and Miami.

I really hope that he gets back on track to where he was earlier in his career and becomes a star once again for the Marlins. He's stuck on one of the worst teams in Baseball after being on 2 up and coming clubs, so he deserves all the success that he gets.