In 2004, Mike Trout hit a home run in his little league game and signed the ball for his uncle. On Sunday, that same ball sold for thousands of dollars at auction.
Now that Trout is an MLB superstar, the value of that baseball has increased quite a bit over the last 19 years. The ball recently sold for $15,600 at Robert Edward Auctions, and one lucky bidder now has a unique piece of Trout memorabilia.
Trout's uncle held onto the ball for nearly two decades before deciding to sell it, and the lot includes a photo of Trout in his little league uniform. In the description, Robert Edward Auctions wrote that the ball is believed to be "the earliest signed Mike Trout game-used home run baseball in existence."
In the years since 12-year-old Trout hit that home run, he has gone deep a few more times. The three-time AL MVP has hit 355 home runs in his 13-year MLB career.
This season, Trout is off to another fast start with the Los Angeles Angels. Through 21 games, Trout is hitting .317 with five home runs and 13 RBI. There is a good chance he signs a few more home run balls before his career is over.
