In a twist that only the melodramatic world of wrestling could deliver, WWE superstar Mike “The Miz” Mizanin has swapped his turnbuckle theatrics for a taste of the bullpen blues, if only in card form. The charismatic showman and lifelong advocate of Cleveland sports has now found a home in the 2025 Topps Series 2 baseball card set, marking his first appearance in a baseball product. No, he hasn’t joined the starting lineup of the Cleveland Guardians—though you wouldn’t be surprised if he hyped himself up to do so—but he has captured a moment in cardboard history with his ceremonial first pitch at Progressive Field.
The Miz’s illustrious history with Topps goes back to his WWE days, where he has been a mainstay on their wrestling cards. However, this particular card is a delightful curveball for collectors, as it winks at Topps’ quirky tradition of including celebrities and athletes who have graced the mound for ceremonial first pitches. These Short Print (SP) cards are produced sparingly, adding a whiff of intrigue and exclusivity akin to The Miz’s trademark swagger.
Our unlikely baseball card hero, born and bred in the Cleveland suburb of Parma, Ohio, is no wallflower when it comes to showcasing his hometown pride. His first pitch escapade wasn’t just a simple toss of a ball; it was an unapologetic love letter to Cleveland. This nostalgic nod to home becomes even sweeter when immortalized in the compact brilliance of a trading card.
If there’s anything The Miz knows, it’s standing out amidst a crowd, be it in the labyrinthine corridors of reality television on MTV’s “The Real World” or while commandeering the grandest stage of them all, WrestleMania. Now, he adds another line to his résumé—a line that wouldn’t look out of place next to his appearances in movies, TV shows, and, surprisingly enough, this MLB-themed collector’s item.
The card’s release was met with a cacophony of cheers and a tinge of bewilderment from fans. Even The Miz himself, never short of words, expressed his amalgam of surprise and glee on the vast arena of social media, exclaiming, “Wait, this is real?! I need this!” It’s a sentiment that resonates with both wrestling aficionados and baseball enthusiasts, who now find common ground in this singular piece of memorabilia.
In the grand tradition of unique collaborations, other stars who’ve donned a similar mantle in recent sets include the likes of Travis Scott, the basketball prodigy Victor Wembanyama, and the international sensation Bad Bunny. Each has manifested their fleeting MLB moments onto the hallowed pages of Topps cards, creating a cross-section of pop culture and sports that invites all manner of fans into the collecting frenzy.
Now accessible in both online arenas and the hallowed shelves of hobby shops, the 2025 Topps Series 2 set has been generating quite the stir, with card collectors racing to uncover the prized SPs buried within. A Miz sighting among those packs could very well be the joker in the deck—a delightful nod to our penchant for the theatrical, the unexpected, and the downright entertaining.
This intriguing crossover serves as a testament to The Miz’s ability to transcend the confines of any singular genre or platform. His inclusion held up against a backdrop of grand façades and packed stadiums, whispers of an unquenchable ambition not just to participate, but to imprint himself permanently in memories — even if they are occasionally laminated.
Such collaborations also underscore the ever-blurring lines between sporting realms and the broader entertainment culture. The intersections between them offer fertile ground for creativity, surprise, and memorabilia that tell stories across disciplines and passions.
The Miz’s baseball card, therefore, is more than just a memento; it’s a statement of his outsized persona, the ongoing narrative of sports cards as keepsakes in the digital age, and a heartening tribute to the city of Cleveland. His dalliance with Major League Baseball might be brief, a single pitch in a lifetime of promos and powerbombs, but it’s a pitch heard round the trading card world — silencing doubters and delighting believers with its sheer audacity and playfulness.
