1978 Topps #285 Steve Yeager
About Steve Yeager
In 1978 Yeager went 1-for-26 in a slump that cut his average to .198 by early June, and backup Johnny Oates took playing time from him. The Dodgers brought Joe Ferguson back from the Astros in July and acquired Jerry Grote from the Mets in August. Yeager finished at .193 but led National League catchers by throwing out 46.7 percent of basestealers. Tom Lasorda started him in five of the six World Series games. His 1978 card, #285, carries the Dodgers name.
Steve Yeager caught for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1972 through 1985 and finished his career with the Seattle Mariners in 1986. Lou Brock called him "the best-throwing catcher in the game," and a radar gun once clocked a throw of his to second base from a crouch at 98 mph. He was valued even more for his handling of young pitchers. Over his career he hit .228 with 102 home runs.
He played in four World Series for the Dodgers, in 1974, 1977, 1978 and 1981. In 1981 he shared the Series MVP award with Pedro Guerrero and Ron Cey. He went 4-for-14 with a double and two home runs, and one of the homers, off Ron Guidry, won Game 5. He also caught Jerry Reuss's no-hitter on June 27, 1980.
The Dodgers drafted him in the fourth round in 1967 out of Meadowdale High School in Dayton, Ohio. He later coached in the Dodgers' farm system and was the major-league club's catching coach from 2012 to 2018, and he played Coach Duke Temple in the Major League films.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 230 | 55 | 119 | 44 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| SGC | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Data as of 2026-10-19. Half grades fold down for both graders (8.5→8); PSA qualified slabs (OC, ST, PD, MC and the like) are not counted.
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Related cards
Team card: #259 Los Angeles Dodgers Team
More Los Angeles Dodgers cards:
- #22 Charlie Hough
- #41 Burt Hooton
- #104 Lee Lacy
- #128 Bill Russell
- #145 Rick Monday
- #168 Reggie Smith
- #189 Tom Lasorda
- #228 Manny Mota
- #310 Don Sutton
- #347 Terry Forster
- #350 Steve Garvey
- #375 Tommy John
- #412 1977 N.L. Championships
- #417 Mike Garman
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1978 Topps #285 card?
It is card #285 of the 726-card 1978 Topps Baseball set, picturing Steve Yeager of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
How many cards are in the 1978 Topps Baseball set?
726 cards, numbered 1 through 726 with none skipped and issued as a single series, and 728 collectible states: #23 Bump Wills comes with or without a black circle, and #374 Jose Morales with or without black stitching over the red laces, so the master set counts both states of each.
Sources: Trading Card Database, PSA CardFacts, BaseballCardPedia, Cardboard Connection, Baseball Almanac, Baseball-Reference, the SABR BioProject and the National Baseball Hall of Fame, PSA & SGC population reports. Card data compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-10-25.