An aspiring young collector recently gained attention for securing a unique baseball card of Paul Skenes, recognized as the National League Rookie of the Year. However, the 11-year-old from the Los Angeles region opted to reject a trade offer from the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Topps revealed on Friday that the young collector chose not to accept the deal and will instead place the coveted card, which boasts an autograph from Skenes and a patch from a game-worn jersey, up for auction.

The Pirates had hoped to entice the collector with an appealing package that included a remarkable 30 years of season tickets situated behind home plate at PNC Park, as well as the opportunity to participate in a softball game on the field in return for the card.

In addition to the team’s offer, Skenes’ girlfriend, Livvy Dunne, a gymnast from LSU and social media influencer, also extended a personal invitation to the card’s owner, offering to watch a game from a luxury suite at the stadium during one of Skenes’ starts.

Despite the collector expressing through a journal entry shared by Topps that obtaining the card was a “dream come true,” it seems that this young fan did not envision spending the next three decades attending Pirates games at PNC Park.

Following the decision, the team conveyed their disappointment via a post on X, stating they were “bummed” but extended an invitation for the young fan to attend a game in the 2025 season.

Handling the auction for the card, Fanatics Collect announced that they plan to donate the proceeds from the sale to fire relief efforts in the Los Angeles area, making it even more significant.

Given the potential trajectory of the promising 22-year-old Skenes, the card could potentially become very valuable. Following an impressive rookie season, he secured third place in the NL Cy Young Award voting. After making his major league debut in May, Skenes not only impressed with one of the best rookie campaigns in recent history but was also named the NL’s starting pitcher for the All-Star Game after just 11 starts, finishing with an impressive record of 11-3 and a 1.96 ERA over 23 outings.

Recently, Skenes remarked that he hasn’t considered signing a long-term deal with the Pirates. Instead, he expressed that his current focus is on aiding the team in their efforts to become competitive by the 2025 season. He is eligible for free agency after the conclusion of the 2029 season.