The 1988 Donruss baseball card set featured one of the most storied rookie classes in the modern era of the sport. Headlined by future Hall of Famers Ken Griffey Jr. and Randy Johnson, the ’88 Donruss rookies also included several other impact players who went on to have great careers such as Vladimir Guerrero, Craig Biggio, and Mark McGwire. Let’s take an in-depth look at some of the key rookies from this historic set and what made it such an impressive rookie class.

Ken Griffey Jr. was by far the most hyped and highly anticipated rookie in the 1988 set. The son of 10-year MLB veteran Ken Griffey Sr., expectations for Junior were through the roof entering his first season with the Seattle Mariners. Griffey Jr. lived up to the billing from day one, hitting .264 with 13 home runs and 47 RBI in his rookie campaign and finishing second in AL Rookie of the Year voting. His sweet left-handed swing and effortless athleticism made him a fan favorite immediately. Griffey Jr. would go on to have one of the greatest careers of all-time, smash 630 home runs, win 10 Gold Gloves, and be elected to the Hall of Fame on the first ballot in 2016—cementing him as one of the biggest rookie stars ever featured in a Donruss set.

Along with Griffey Jr., the most valuable card from the ’88 Donruss rookie class ended up being Randy Johnson. As a largely unheralded prospect out of USC, Johnson spent parts of his first two seasons pitching in relief for the Montreal Expos. But his blazing 100+ mph fastball and devastating slider were impossible to ignore. Johnson broke out as a full-time starter in 1992 and dominated the rest of his career, winning five Cy Young Awards between 1995-2002 split between Montreal, Seattle, Houston, Arizona, and the NY Yankees. “The Big Unit” wound up with a career record of 303-166, led the NL in strikeouts four times, and struck out over 4,800 batters—the most all-time for a left-hander. Johnson was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015, making his ’88 Donruss rookie one of the more valuablemodern era cards.

While Griffey Jr. and Johnson received the most fanfare, several other Hall of Fame talents emerged from the ’88 Donruss set. Houston Astros first baseman Jeff Bagwell had a breakout rookie season, smacking .250 with 15 home runs in his first stint in the majors in ’88. Bagwell went on to have a franchise-altering career for Houston, making four All-Star teams, winning an MVP in 1994, and hitting 449 home runs to firmly establish himself as one of the game’s most dangerous power hitters of the ’90s and early 2000s. His slick-fielding and consistent production at first base earned Bagwell induction into Cooperstown in 2017.

Another standout from this rookie class currently in the Hall of Fame is pitcher Mike Mussina. Unlike Bagwell who broke out immediately, Mussina toiled for several seasons as a finesse pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles. But from 1997-2008 primarily with the New York Yankees, Mussina emerged as one of the most reliable arms in baseball. The righty won 20 games twice, made seven All-Star teams, posted a career 3.68 ERA, and logged 270+ innings per season like clockwork for over a decade. His consistency and durability over 18 seasons garnered Mussina 78.2 career bWAR and 20 wins above replacement, enough for the Hall to call his number in 2019.

While Griffey Jr., Johnson, Bagwell, and Mussina all achieved the game’s highest honor in Cooperstown, some other noteworthy producers from the ’88 set fell just short or are still active but on potentially Hall worthy trajectories. Craig Biggio had a sterling 20-year career spent exclusively with the Astros, achieving 3,000 hits, 281 home runs, and revolutionizing the second base position offensively. A seven-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glover, Biggio’s self-made success story and durability have him as a strong candidate to one day be enshrined.

Vladimir Guerrero looked like a video game create-a-player coming up with the Expos in 1996, hitting .302 and showing off his cannon arm in right field. Over 16 seasons primarily with the Angels and Blue Jays, “Vlad” amassed a .318 average, 2,590 hits, 449 home runs, and was arguably the most feared righthanded hitter in baseball in the early 2000s. His effortless power and elite all-fields hitting placed him firmly in the conversation for Cooperstown had injuries not derailed his peak years. Still, Guerrrero was an instant fan favorite and one of the best pure hitters of his generation by any measure.

While Mark McGwire didn’t have the career longevity of some others in the ’88 Donruss class, for nearly a decade in Oakland and St. Louis “Big Mac” redefined what was possible for a power hitter in the major leagues. Between 1987-1998, McGwire smashed 347 home runs including an eye-popping 70 longballs in 1998 to break Roger Maris’ single season record. That mammoth display of raw power made McGwire one of the most must-see athletes in sports and his home run chase with Sammy Sosa revived national interest in baseball. Of course, McGwire’s eventual admissions about steroid use during his prime years have left some debate about his true Hall of Fame merits. But for a stretch in the late 90s, no one was as fun to watch at the plate as Mark McGwire.

So in summary – the 1988 Donruss baseball card set stands out as arguably the greatest rookie class in the modern era for several reasons. It featured future Hall of Famers like Ken Griffey Jr., Randy Johnson, Mike Mussina, and Jeff Bagwell who all went on to have icon-status careers. Players like Vladimir Guerrero and Craig Biggio nearly rivaled the Hall’s standards as well. And then additions like McGwire made for some truly must-see players emerging. The star power, iconic careers, and historical relevance of this rookie class is really unmatched across all card releases of the 1980s and beyond. Even over 30 years later, 1988 Donruss rookie cards remain some of the most sought-after and valuable in the hobby due to how profoundly this group shaped the sport.