TTM Success - Sean Keys

A few 2025 Topps Pro Debut cards came back signed TTM by Sean Keys. The above purple foil parallel turned out great.

I also sent a chrome and a base; both of these also look great.

Keys (b. 2003) was a 4th round pick by the Blue Jays in the 2024 June Amateur Draft out of Bucknell. He has played in the minors since 2024 in the Blue Jays system, reaching AA. So far in his career, he has 118 hits, 21 home runs and a .230 batting average.

I mailed to Keys on December 26 and got the cards back on January 10, for a 15-day TAT. 

April 3-4, 2026 Graphing of the IronPigs at Bulls

Graphing season for 2026 has kicked off, and Jesse and I did really well this weekend in Durham. We went to see the Lehigh Valley IronPigs Friday and Saturday. Friday was interesting, since Phillies ace, Zack Wheeler was starting for Lehigh Valley. There were a ton of Phillies fans there, especially by the dugout pregame. The only IronPigs guys who stopped pregame were Adam Lind and Bryan De La Cruz. Lind signed the above 2010 Topps Chrome, becoming the first person to get me on the board this season.

A huge variety of cards got signed on the trip. I had to buy a couple Christian Cairo cards off of Ebay for the trip, and they were the last two cards that were signed Saturday night. We did so much better on Lehigh Valley outside the stadium both nights. Getting Genesis Cabrera was nice; it was nice to get some 2019 Bowman cards out of the box. He also signed a 2019 Bowman Heritage, which is always nice to add to the autograph album. 

We got De La Cruz a few different times, and he helped add a bunch of cards to the album. A 2025 Topps Heritage High Number was signed by Connor Gillispie, and Seth Johnson hit my 2025 Topps.

Aside from Wheeler, Orion Kerkering was on a rehab assignment, as well. He was really cool and signed everything we had. He signed my first 2026 Topps Heritage.

Carter Kieboom and Pedro Leon are two guys who had been in the Box-of-Shame for a long time. I was glad to get a few of their cards out of there and into the album. 

Griff McGarry is another guy who I had missed in the past. He signed everything we had by the bullpen after the game, Friday. He was a really nice guy. I hate that he walked in a ton of runs on Saturday. 

Lou Trivino was really cool, as well. He talked to Jesse and I a bit. Jesse took his picture with his Polaroid (yes, Jesse has a Polaroid), and got the picture signed after the game.

I was really glad to get my Trevor Richards 2019 Stadium Club signed. The cards I had of him all had logged a lot of frequent flyer miles, as they had been sent to Chiacago and back for Max to try and get signed a while back. 

Saturday, Jesse and I tried graphing on the Bulls dugout. The big get for us was Gavin Lux, who signed one per for us. The card I got was a 2022 Panini Capstone. It turned out great.  I didn't have any Brody Hopkins in my huge pile of 2025 Topps Pro Debut, for some reason. Gerard sent me some, so I was able to add him to the album. He outpitched Wheeler, which was cool.

I finally got a Jacob Melton signed. I missed him last season with Sugar Land. I finally saw Victor Mesa, Jr., and just happened to get the cards back of him that I had sent Max, which worked out great for me. I was glad to get his 2021 Topps Heritage Minors done. I love that set. If I were to work on a more recent set, that one might be it.

I was happy to get my 2024 Topps Edward Olivares purple shimmer parallel signed. He got hurt Friday, and left Saturday as we were out graphing on the sidewalk. I hate that he got hurt. Joe Rock walked on the other side of the street, but we were able to get him. He signed a 2026 Topps, which was cool.

One of the cool things that I got signed this weekend was this MLB debut ticket of Carter Kieboom. Michael had sent me the ticket earlier in the week, and I decided to take it along to try and get it signed. I told him about it, to which he replied "oh that's sick!"

While I was waiting in line for my obligatory Rita's gelati, I ran into one of my former geology professors from UNCC, Kevin Headd. We have kept in touch over the years via Facebook; and he used to come into the store I worked at back then. He is such a good guy. He took this selfie while I was in line.

Kevin met us outside the stadium and graphed with us. I helped him identify some if the players and hooked him up with a marker. His wife took a few pictures while we were at work. Here is one she took of us getting Blake Sabol.

Here is another with Carlos Colmenarez. I was so happy to run into Kevin, and let him see a little bit of what I'm always posting about on Facebook. 

In all, I got the following autographs: Carlos Colmenarez x 6, Logan Davidson x 3, Luis Guerrero x 2, Brody Hopkins x 4, Justyn-Henry Malloy x 2, Trevor Martin x 3, Jacob Melton x 2, Victor Mesa x 5, Tre Morgan x 4, Edward Olivares x 2, Joe Rock x 6, Blake Sabol x 2, Wool E Bull x 2, Sergio Alcantara x 5, Genesis Cabrera x 6, Bryan De La Cruz x 10, Connor Gillispie x 1, Jonathan Hernandez x 2, Seth Johnson x 2, Orion Kerkering x 7, Pedro Leon x 4, Adam Lind x 1, Griff McGarry x 5, Robert Moore x 7, Trevor Richards x 7, Chase Shugart x 1, Lou Trivino x 3, Chris Clark x 4, Gavin Lux x 2, Kodi Whitley x 2, Christian Cairo x 2 and Carter Kieboom x 5 (119 total autographs). 

TTM Success - Cole Phillips

Cole Phillips is a guy who I had hoped I would have seen with Augusta when they came through Kinston. I never got to see him there, so I sent out a couple of his cards TTM to try to add him to my autograph album that way. The above 2023 Panini Chronicles turned out nicely, I think. I have no idea where I found that card, but it is unique, and looks good in its slot in the album. 

I also sent this 2023 Topps Pro Debut, which turned out ok. The marker looks like it is dying, or maybe I didn't prep the card well enough. Still, it's signed, and not taking up space in one of my boxes.

Phillips (b. 2003) was a 2nd round pick by the Braves in the 2022 July Amateur Draft out of Boerne High School in Texas. Interestingly, he had no professional stats. He is listed now in the Brewers organization, but is on their 60-day IL. In 2023, he was sent, along with Jackson Kowar, to the Mariners for Marco Gonzales, Jarred Kelenic and Evan White. He was then picked up by the Brewers in the AAA phase of the Rule V draft this past offseason. He has been injured since the 2024 season.

I mailed to Phillips on December 13 and got the cards back on January 10, for a 28-day TAT. 

TTM Success - James Boone

This 2005 Bowman of James Boone is another card that I got from my friend Ryan, and it also was sent out TTM for signature. It came back signed in black Sharpie, and looks great. 

Boone (b. 1983) was a 3rd round pick by the Pirates in the 2005 June Amateur Draft out of the University of Missouri. He played in the minors from 2005 to 2009 in the Pirates system, reaching AA Altoona. He had 278 hits, 29 home runs and a .246 batting average. 

I mailed to Boone on December 11 and got the card back on January 9, for a 29-day TAT. 

TTM Success - Matt Parker

This 2002 Bowman that I got signed TTM by Matt Parker was another from the batch of early 2000s Bowmans that Ryan sent me. I used those cards after this season to give me a bunch of guys to send to, and hope for some good returns. I do enjoy getting older. Bowmans signed, especially guys I've never heard of.

Parker (b. 1978) was a 31st round pick by the Cardinals in the 1999 June Amateur Draft out of Mercer. He played in the minors from 1999 to 2004 in the Cardinals, Brewers and Devil Rays systems, reaching AAA (Durham, actually).

He had a record of 35-31 with 472 strike outs and a 3.86 ERA. I mailed to Parker on December 24 and got the card back on January 8, for a 15-day TAT. 

Another TTM Success From Carl Yastrzemski

This 2019 Topps short print of Dustin Pedroia is going to be a cool project to complete. I signed up for a private signing with Carl Yastrzemski back in October. The card came back in November, but it was smeared. The promoter took the card back, and this card that I picked up to replace it got signed. It took a while, but all has been resolved. The card looks great, and now I have to wait on a Dustin Pedroia signing. 

I mailed to the original signing on October 24 and got the card back on November 29, for a 36-day TAT. I sent the replacement card in December and got this one back today, in about 3 months (I didn't write down what day I sent the replacement out). I paid... way too much...

TTM Success - Brandon Cunniff

This 2015 Topps Update of Brandon Cunniff is a fairly recent card that I was able to get signed TTM. 2015 Topps was such a cool set. I know a couple people who are working on signed sets from that year; I can't do it, since I am working on 1987 still.

Cunniff (b. 1988) played in the majors in 2015 and 2016 for the Braves. He had a record of  4-2 with 53 strike outs and a 4.50 ERA.

I mailed to Cunniff on December 19 and got the card back on January 6, for an 18-day TAT.