Mike Trout Launches Gen One Collect in the Hobby

Mike Trout Brings His Hobby Passion Into a New Venture

Mike Trout has been one of the most recognizable names in the sports card hobby for more than a decade, but his connection to collecting started long before his cards became chase pieces. As a kid, Trout visited flea markets with his parents and collected everything from Pokémon to baseball cards. The hobby eventually took a back seat as his baseball career accelerated, but he returned to collecting during the COVID era and developed a strong interest in Bowman prospects.

That renewed interest has now led to a new step for Trout. Through Generation One Collect, or Gen One, he is moving into the business side of the hobby with a company built around the collecting experience he has enjoyed for years.

What Gen One Collect Plans to Offer

Gen One is a new sports collectibles company that will begin with live card breaking. According to the company, the plan is to expand beyond breaks into original content and other experiences that bring athletes and collectors together.

Mark DeVita, Operations Manager for The Trout Group, said the aim is to combine live breaks, premium content, and athlete involvement into a more connected experience for collectors. The company is starting with a clear focus on the parts of the hobby Trout knows well, while leaving room to grow into additional formats.

The idea has been developing for a couple of years. DeVita said the conversation began in 2024, when Trout started encouraging people around him to find a path into the collectibles industry. After spending time in card breaks and talking with other collectors, Trout saw an opportunity to build something of his own with the right team in place.

One of those people was Eric Mandelkern, who shares Trout’s interest in Bowman products and joined as Co-Founder and CEO of Gen One.

Trout said the hobby side of the business felt like a natural extension of what he already enjoyed.

“I’d go into some breaks, some chats, and I’m just telling myself, man, this could be something really special if we get the right people in this thing,” Trout explained. “I’ve been pushing for it, and I think having the right people involved is the big thing for me.”

Related coverage includes Mike Trout Enters Collectibles Business With Gen One Collect.

Why Trout Chose the Bowman 1st Card

Trout’s collecting story also includes a personal favorite from his own cardboard history. When asked whether he prefers his 2009 Bowman Chrome prospect card or his 2011 Topps Update rookie, Trout chose the Bowman 1st. He said part of the appeal is that it is not a card collectors see as often, but the choice also ties to a memory he shares with his son Beckham.

Trout recalled pulling the card together with Beckham and said it came from the first pack in the box, making it one of his favorite hobby moments. That kind of shared experience is part of what he hopes Gen One can help create for other collectors.

For Trout, the hobby is not just about the cards themselves. It is also about the reactions, the surprises, and the memories that come from opening packs with family and friends.

“I had the opportunity to visit a couple of card shops during spring, and seeing the reactions of little kids with their parents and siblings when they pull a big card, there’s nothing better,” Trout said.

Gen One’s Launch Includes a Youth-Focused Event

That family-first approach is reflected in Gen One’s launch plans. As part of the company introduction, an event called “The First Rip” is being held alongside Trout’s youth baseball camp. The event will give kids the chance to open packs of Topps baseball cards.

The company wanted its debut to be something younger collectors could experience in person rather than limiting the launch to an online introduction. That decision fits with Trout’s own background as a collector and his interest in creating moments that can bring kids into the hobby early.

By tying the launch to a youth baseball camp, Gen One is putting the collecting experience directly in front of the next generation of fans. The approach reflects Trout’s belief that the hobby can be especially meaningful when it is shared with children, parents, siblings, and friends.

Trout Says He Wants to Stay Involved

Trout is not treating Gen One as a passive endorsement. He said he wants to be involved in live breaks, interact with collectors in chat rooms, and share in the excitement that comes with pulling big cards. Having participated in plenty of breaks himself, he said he is looking forward to seeing the hobby from the other side.

“It’s brand new, but this is something I enjoy, so I’m trying to be heavily involved, as much as I can,” Trout said.

DeVita said Trout’s place in the hobby gives Gen One a distinct perspective. Trout is both a longtime MLB star whose cards are highly sought after and a collector who has spent time participating in the hobby himself. That combination gives him a view of the market from both the player side and the collector side.

As Gen One begins to build its place in the industry, that dual perspective could be one of its biggest strengths. Trout understands what collectors chase, what makes a break exciting, and why certain cards carry extra meaning. He also knows how those moments feel when they happen in real time.

For a player whose cards have been central to the hobby for years, Gen One Collect marks a new chapter that connects Trout’s collecting background with a business built around the same excitement that drew him in as a kid.

The company’s early focus on live breaks, content, and youth engagement suggests a launch built around participation rather than distance, with Trout positioned as both a face of the brand and an active part of its collector-facing identity.

As Gen One moves forward, Trout’s role gives the venture a rare mix of credibility, familiarity, and personal investment. He is not only one of the most collected players in the hobby, but also someone who still talks about the thrill of opening packs and the memories tied to the cards he has pulled with his family.

That connection to collecting remains at the center of the new company, and it is the foundation Gen One is using as it enters the sports collectibles space.