Los Angeles Dodgers player Kiké Hernández has discovered a meaningful connection off the baseball field through his renewed passion for collecting Pokémon cards. What began as a way to fill solitary hours during injury rehabilitation stints has evolved into a cherished family activity and even a budding side business.
During his time on the injured list over the past two seasons, Hernández found himself with ample free time and a realization that baseball had overshadowed personal hobbies. "If I’m being honest, the IL is something that’s very boring and lonely," Hernández told the California Post. "I’ve spent a lot of time on it the last two years."
Seeking an escape, he turned to ripping Pokémon packs, a nostalgic pursuit from his childhood. The experience of opening packs, "the smell, the sensation," transported him back to his youth. "It made me feel like a kid," he said.
His hobby took on a new dimension when his 5-year-old daughter, Penélope, joined in. She developed a fondness for Pikachu, mirroring her father's childhood favorite. Now, father and daughter share the excitement of opening various packs, including Pokémon, Disney, My Little Pony, and even cards from Netflix's KPop Demon Hunters, turning collecting into dedicated family time.
Hernández has also embraced his alter ego, “PokéKikémon,” launching social media channels that have garnered a significant following, including over 112,000 followers on Instagram, which has led to merchandise opportunities.
"Not only do I get my fix, but it also helps us connect as a family," Hernández stated. "It’s something that we look forward to."
Among his notable acquisitions is a Japanese Sabrina's Gengar 1st edition, which he pulled and had graded as a PSA 10, valued at over $10,000. However, his ultimate pursuit remains a 2001 Japanese Corocoro promotional card featuring Mew. The artwork of this card, with its unique tail swirl, captivated him, but its price has since soared to between $75,000 and $500,000 on collector sites. "CoroCoro Mew is a card that I love the art of," Hernández said. "I didn’t pull the trigger last year when I wanted it, and now it’s gotten a little too expensive. So it’s a card that I’ll probably be chasing forever."
What began as a solitary pursuit during recovery has blossomed into a source of family bonding and an enduring hobby for the Dodgers player.