Mike Trout Launches New Business Venture in Booming Industry

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Mike Trout Launches New Business Venture in Booming Industry

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Lance Fernandez | Last updated Oct 13, 2026 12:57 AM ET

Mike Trout is known for launching balls for long distances. His excellence at the plate has earned him 1,878 hits, 1,072 RBIs, and 426 home runs in 16 Major League Baseball seasons.

This time, the three-time American League Most Valuable Player and nine-time Silver Slugger awardee is establishing his foothold in the collectibles industry.

As shared on the Cllct Media account on X, Trout is launching Generation One Collect, a new sports collectibles company.

Mike Trout is launching Generation One Collect, a new sports collectibles company that will begin with live card breaking, but plans to expand into original content and other experiences involving athletes and collectors.

Mark DeVita, Operations Manager for The Trout Group, said… pic.twitter.com/lDUdjh70jN
— cllct (@cllctMedia) October 13, 2026

According to The Trout Group Operations Manager Mark DeVita, they are looking to produce live breaks, premium content, and athlete involvement to foster a better experience for collectors.

Mike Trout’s plans to conquer the sports trading card industry

Generation One Collect will start with live card breaks, wherein he will actively engage fellow trading card collectors. He will also venture into premium content featuring other athletes who are also into the hobby.

Trout will work with co-founder and CEO Eric Mandelkern for this venture. One of their plans is to bring card breaks during Trout’s youth baseball camps to give young players the feel of opening card packs.

A known trading card collector, Trout has shown interest in the industry since he was young. From collecting Pokémon and baseball cards, he returned to the hobby during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Trout is looking to turn his hobby into a thriving business, perhaps a way to build his post-baseball career. After all, his current 12-year, $426.5 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels will end in 2030.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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