2010 Topps Ross Detwiler

Who is this? Washington Nationals' Pitcher Ross Detwiler.
What is this? An autograph card from 2010 Topps.
Where'd I get it? I got this card signed by Ross before a Pawtucket Red Sox v. Syracuse Chiefs game in Spring 2010.
How much did it cost? I got the card when I bought the 2010 Topps set.

Why is this so special? Here's a fun fact: Ross Detwiler was the first 2007 MLB Draft pick to make it to the bigs when he made his Major League debut for the Washington Nationals when he pitched in relief against the Atlanta Braves. That put him ahead of fellow 2007 draftees David Price and Matt Wieters.

Unfortunately for Detwiler, his meteoric rise to the Majors was not exactly a sign of things to come. Although he saw time in the Majors in 2009 and 2010, he spent the majority of the next three years in the Minors, pitching for Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Syracuse.

The good news is that Detwiler had his most productive Major League season in 2011 when he went 4-5 with a 3.00 ERA in 15 games (10 starts) for the Nationals. He will be 26 on Opening Day in 2012, and still has plenty of time to prove that his early rise was no fluke.

Ross also was nice enough to sign these two 2008 rookie cards for me.

2010 Topps Jenrry Mejia

Who is this? New York Mets Pitching prospect Jenrry Mejia.
What is this? An autograph card from 2010 Topps.
Where'd I get it? Before a Buffalo Bisons' game against the Pawtucket Red Sox this spring.
How much did it cost? I got this card when I bought 2010 Topps Series two last year. I think I paid about $15 for the whole set.

Why is this so special? Jenrry was the Mets top pitching prospect before undergoing Tommy John Surgery to repair his torn medial collateral ligament in his elbow last spring.

Despite an apparent language barrier, Jenrry was very nice about signing autographs for fans before the game. In fact, Jenrry was generous enough to sign the 2010 Topps card, a 2009 Donruss Elite Extra Edition Card, a 2010 Bowman card, and a 2010 Topps T-206 card for me.

What makes Mejia so interesting to me is the fact that, according to his Wikipedia page, he did not begin playing baseball until he was 15 years-old, when he learned that it was a way to get rich. Then, just a few years after picking-up the sport, Mejia was signed as an International Free Agent by the Mets in April 2007 and made his Major League Debut just three years later, on April 7, 2009.

Although Mejia missed most of the 2011 season and could miss the start of the 2012 season, I sincerely hope that he will make a complete recovery and continue his remarkable baseball journey. Few players have accomplished so much in such a short time playing a sport, and only time will tell what Mejia is capable of doing when his elbow is back to 100% health.