1954 Topps #88 Matt Batts
About Matt Batts
Matthew Daniel Batts (1921–2013) was a right-handed catcher signed by the Boston Red Sox out of Baylor University in 1942 for a $2,500 bonus and a new car from scout Billy Disch. After World War II military service and a climb through Boston's farm system, he debuted in 1947 and spent parts of ten major-league seasons (1947–1956) with the Red Sox, St. Louis Browns, Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox and Cincinnati Reds. A backup-catcher and slap hitter for most of his career, Batts appeared in 546 games and hit .269 with 432 hits, 26 home runs and 219 RBI. His best year came in 1953 with the Tigers pictured on this card, when he took over as the regular catcher after Joe Ginsberg was traded and batted .278 with 6 homers and 42 RBI over 116 games. With Detroit he also caught the second of Virgil Trucks' two 1952 no-hitters, on August 25, and earlier with the Browns he was among the first white catchers to work with Satchel Paige, the American League's first Black pitcher. He was never selected an All-Star.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 560 | 1 | 14 | 112 | 169 | 126 | 64 | 74 | 0 |
| SGC | 63 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 21 | 8 | 15 | 9 | 0 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-06-26. Half grades fold down for both graders (8.5→8); PSA qualified slabs (OC, ST, PD, MC and the like) are not counted. Totals are summed across each grader's listed variations.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1954 Topps Matt Batts card?
It is card #88 of 250 in the 1954 Topps set, issued at the peak of the Topps-Bowman 'Card Wars'. It pictures the Detroit Tigers player.
Is the 1954 Topps Matt Batts valuable?
Value depends on grade and (where it applies) the back variation. Use the links above to check current T206 Cards inventory and live eBay listings.
Sources: Trading Card Database, Baseball-Reference, PSA & SGC population reports, and Baseball-Almanac. Card data & population compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-10-05.