TTM Success - Whit Merrifield

A private signing I had been hoping for popped up recently. I had been trying to get Whit Merrifield on some cards since my dad poured his driveway back in 2021. My brother took some cards for me, but didn't see Merrifield after that. Since then, I pulled a couple nice parallels, which were the ones that I ended up sending out. Above is an awesome blue shimmer foil from 2024 Topps.

This one is a blue foil from 2025 Topps. In person, it is a darker shade of blue. My scanner kind of brightened it.

Merrifield (b. 1989) played in the majors from 2016 to 2024 for the Royals, Blue Jays, Phillies and Braves. He had 1,249 hits, 94 home runs and a .280 batting average. He led the league in hits in 2018 and 2019. He was an All Star three times (2019, 2021 and 2023). He finished 17th in the 2018 AL MVP race.

I mailed to the signing on May 2 and got the cards back on June 11, for a 37-day TAT. I paid a fee of $25/card.

August 29, 2026, Graphing of the Tides at Bulls

The Norfolk Tides were back in Durham two weeks ago. Jesse and I went that Saturday to try and see a couple Orioles who were on rehab. Felix Bautista was the big (pun intended) target for us. Bautista is coming back from his second major surgery (shoulder). He was actually the first player we got when we got inside the ballpark. I was glad to get a 2026 Topps done.

He also signed a 2024 Topps. We almost finished all of the Enrique Bradfield cards that I had. I finally got Juaron Watts-Brown and Payton Eeles. I jad cards put aside for them for a little while now. I also got Yaramil Hiraldo on a 2025 Topps Update.

We finally got Heston Ljerstad at a game. He's usually pretty tough, but came right over for us. I finally got my 2024 Norfolk team set cards done of Kjerstad and Albert Suarez.

It was a nice surprise to get Joe Boyle. He was in a good mood for once, so my team set card from last year got done. I had picked up several Oliver Dunn cards at the National, and they all got signed, so I'm out of him again. Jake Fraley was down in Durham on rehab, so Jesse and I got him, as well. Mason Englert was in a hurry, but stopped for me and signed my negative parallel. He's such a great guy, and I'm always glad to get him.

Finally, I got two more cards from the National done (the 2023 Topps Chrome refractor of Michael Grove, and the 2023 Topps Chrome negative parallel of Blake Sabol). I also had no shame in asking the handler of Champ the Bat Dog to sign his team set card. 

In all, we got the following autographs: Silas Ardoin x 4, Felix Bautista x 2, Enrique Bradfield x 5, Juaron Watts-Brown x 7, Payton Eeles x 1, Jud Fabian x 2, Yaramil Hiraldo x 1, Heston Kjerstad x 2, Albert Suarez x 2, Jeff Ware x 1 and Yosver Zulueta x 2, Joe Boyle x 2, Keoni Derenne x 2, Oliver Dunn x 11, Mason Englert x 1, Jake Fraley x 2, Michael Grove x 2, Blake Sabol x 3 and Champ the Bat Dog('s handler) x 2 (54 total autographs). 

June 20, 2026, Graphing of the Jumbo Shrimp at Bulls

On Saturday, Jesse and I made the trip to Durham to try and get a few more Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp out of my boxes. We also wanted to get more Durham Bulls done as well, but it was a tough night, since there weren't many people there graphing who knew the faces of players on either side.

Still, we did really well. We were able to get a couple guys on rehab, Griffin Conine and Graham Pauley. We also got Karson Milbrandt, who wasn't with Jacksonville the last time they came.

We missed most of the Durham guys we needed, but it was ok, we had a good time and will head back up there soon.

Something sweet happened to me, too. I was wearing my Alien Face hugger shirt that says "Free Hugs" that Mal got me a while back. A woman walked by us as we were graphing outside and saw it and said "I'm going to put your shirt to the test." Of course, I had forgotten what shirt I was even wearing, and as I realized "oh yeah, that shirt", she had pulled her little boy aside and told him to read it. He read it out loud "Free Hugs... oh!" and threw himself at me, much like my niece Ada does. It made my night. Little guy was probably her age, 4 or so. It was a pretty cool moment. All I could say was "Aww, thank you buddy".

In all, we got the following autographs: Griffin Conine x 2, Braxton Garrett x 5, Karson Milbrandt x 7, Gage Miller x 9, Graham Pauley x 3, Jared Serna x 11, Josh White x 1, Henry Bonilla x 2, Mason Englert x 1 and Cooper Kinney x 4 (45 total autographs).

May 9, 2026, Graphing of Express at Bulls

We were looking forward to Round Rock coming through Durham since the schedule was announced toward the end of the season last year. The graphing was pretty good, but it didn't live up to the hype we had built up. This was mainly because there weren't as many former Wood Ducks as we had hoped. The ones that were there didn't really recognize us, so that was a bit of a bummer.

I got a couple Hickory team set cards signed. This team set was from 2022, so i had been holding onto the Marc Church and Trevor Hauver cards for a while. 

I was the only one of the graohers there on Saturday who got Ryan Brasier. I got him by the bullpen once the game ended. He wouldn't stop for the rest of us outside.

I chipped away at my stack of Nick Prattos that I had pulled a while back. I was glad to pull a bunch of Mason Thompson cards; the 2016 Bowman Draft came from one of the boxes I got in Richmond this winter. I was also surprised that Aaron Zavala signed more than one per. He always was a strict one per back in the day. I was able to get everything I had left of him done, finally.

The Durham team set is already out. That feels really early in the season. I chipped away at sets for Gerard and I. The set looks nice, but was a disorganized mess. I soebt a coupke innings alphabetizing and organizing it into my book.

I got a bunch of the team set taken care of. I'll have to keep working on them through the next couple of times in Durham.

In all, Jesse and I got the following autographs: Dairon Blanco x 3, Ryan Brasier x 2, Jonah Bride x 1, Diego Castillo x 1, Cam Cauley x 2, Marc Church x 1, Trevor Hauver x 4, Michael Helman x 1, Jose Herrera x 1, Richie Martin x 1, Nick Pratto x 9, Trey Supak x 2, Emiliano Teodo x 1, Mason Thompson x 7, Aaron Zavala x 5, Cam Booser x 2, Cooper Bowman x 2, Homer Bush Jr x 5, Carlos Colmenarez x 5, Alex Cook x 2, Luis Guerrero x 2, KC Hunt x 2, Ty Johnson x 2, Dominic Keegan x 1, Cooper Kinney x 4, German Melendez x 2, Brian Reith x 2, Chrystal Rowe x 2, Blake Sabol x 3 and Logan Workman x 2 (79 total autographs).

More 2025 50-50s and 2026 Cubs Convention Autos From Max

My buddy Max took another box of cards from me and converted a lot of them into signed cards I could add to my autograph album. One highlight was the above Topps Archives signed by Fergie Jenkins. This is a great card. There aren't enough modern sets using the 1957 Topps design. I wish they had done a Heritage Minors set with this design.

Here are cards sigbed by Cody Acshe, Quentin Berry, Trevor Cahill, Travis Chapman, Garrett Cooper, Noah Davis, Ryan Dempster and Jim Deshaies. I thought I had these Topps cards signed by Cahill and Dempster, but I didn't, so that was nice.

These are signed by Kyle Freeland, Jason Hammel, Mike Harkey, Starling Heredia and Jaden Hill. I had sent my Hill cards to someone for a 50/50 a while back, and everything came back signed, except for a Chrome, so that puts it in the album. I was alsi happy to see a 2015 Topps Jason Hammel (middle) and it looks great.

Here are Alex Jacob, Reed Johnson, John Lannan, Ted Lilly, German Marquez, Jack Neely. Those Neelys add some 2025 Topps to the album. I thought I had gotten John Lannan before, but I suppose I was wrong because I was unable to find any.

Now we see Riley Martin, Colin Rea, Mike Remlinger, Ethan Roberts, Jackson Rutledge and Matt Szczur. I sent every Szczur card I ever owned to Max at various points in time. It was nice to get one back signed for the album. Szczur is one of Max's all-time favorite guys, so I know it was tough to part with. He knows it went to a good home.

Here are Anthony Senzatella, Ryan Sweeney, Ezequiel Tovar and James Triantos. A 2007 Upper Deck Artifacts Sweeney at the bottom left really pops. Also that blue 2007 Bowman right beside it looks awesome.

Here are Victor Vodnik, Randy Wells and Jaxon Wiggins. I saw that I had a few more Wiggins in my box, so I'll have to send a few more his way to refill his stock.

Reed Johnson, Shawon Dunston, Hoby Milner, Drew Romo and Jim Palmer are in this bunch. That 1992 Topps Gold Dunston is pretty great. It would have been cool to have been able to get Don Sutton on the card with Palmer, but it was not meant to be.

Finally here are Cubs team cards signed by Justin Grimm and Gavin Hollowell.  

Thank you so much, as always, Max. I'm sorry it took me so long to get these scanned. I have another smaller stack he sent afterward that need to be scanned. I hope to knock those out soon.

May 2, 2026, Graphing of the Jumbo Shrimp at Bulls

Last night, Jesse and I headed back to Durham to catch the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. I prepped for the trip over the last couple of weeks. I even took a small box of the cards with me on a work trip to Minnesota and prepped cards in the hotel room.

The Jumbo Shrimp roster was loaded with guys with cards. We got almost everyone we could get, missing a couple guys, and not having cards for a couple others. 

It was really nice seeing Maximo Acosta again. He remembered me from the Wood Ducks and thanked me again for giving him some cards back then. Getting his 2026 Topps card signed was a good choice.

Kemp Alderman was pretty cool. He signed a bunch of our stuff. He joked that he had a $5 fee, but we laughed about it. I had heard that Jacob Berry was a tough get, but he came right over when we asked him. The 2024 Panini Crusade he signed turned out great.

Let's pause a minute to marvel in the awesome signature that Heriberto Hernandez gave us on our 2026 Topps Heritage cards. I could have saved him the trouble and did those myself. We'll, we got ink on the cards and they're in the album. So, his little scribble os what it is.

Deyvison De Los Santos hit a bunch of cards after we were told he hadn't signed much all week.

Jared Eickhoff was pretty cool. He signed for us outside. Joe Mack and Andrew Pintar were one per, but Pete and a kid took two of my Pintars and got them done for me.

Jared Serna was such a nice guy. He signed everything we had. He talked to us for a bit outside while he signed.

I was surprised that Robby Snelling signed everything we had. I was glad that a few of the Jumbo Shrimp guys finished everything I had. I plan to see them again when they come back through later in the season, but if I don't have much left, I may see where else I can go.

Thomas White also signed everything we had for him. I was glad to get his 2025 Pro Debut insert card signed (middle of the top row in the scan above).

We got a select few Durham guys outside. I finally saw Homer Bush, Jr. He has been on their roster for a bit but hasn't been in Durham.

 I saw today that Joe Mack was called up to the Marlins. That was really cool. The game was pretty good. Bradley Blalock struck out 12 in 6 innings, at one point he struck out 7 in a row.

In all, we got the following autographs: Maximo Acosta x 2, Kemp Alderman x 6, Jesus Bastidas x 2, Jacob Berry x 2, Bradley Blalock x 2, Zach Brzykcy x 2, Jose Ceballos x 2, Deyvison De Los Santos x 12, Jerad Eickhoff x 3, Dax Fulton x 1, Heriberto Hernandez x 2, Joe Mack x 2, Zach McCambley x 4, Cody Morissette x 3, Andrew Pintar x 4, Ethan O'Donnell x 2, Jared Serna x 11, Robby Snelling x 8, Luke Terwilliger x 3, Thomas White x 8, Cooper Bowman x 1, Homer Bush Jr x 4, Jonathan Heasley x 4, Trevor Martin x 1 and Blake Sabol x 4 (95 total autographs). 

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).