The 2020 Topps baseball card release featured another iconic design and several highly sought after rookie cards. After a widely popular 2019 set that celebrated the history of the brand, Topps went with a more traditional styling for their 2020 offering while still including noteworthy rookie cards and parallel variations to chase. Let’s take a closer look at some of the top 2020 Topps cards collectors searched for.
Perhaps the highest profile rookie in the entire set was Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Gavin Lux. Lux was one of baseball’s elite prospects and collectors knew his Topps rookie card would be highly valuable. The base Lux RC carried a pre-release hype and any parallel or autographed variations immediately shot up collector lists. Some speculate Lux will become a superstar and his rookie cards could gain Walker Buehler or Cody Bellinger levels of value over time. Finding Lux’s Topps chrome, negative, or refractor parallel rookies was a top priority.
Another exciting Dodgers rookie was Dustin May. The flamethrowing righty burst onto the MLB scene in 2019 and collectors raced to find his Topps rookie. Like Lux, any parallel or autographed May RCs were hot ticket items. Of the parallels, the May Topps chrome refractor /150 was especially tough to track down. Both Dodgers rookies kept the hobby buzzing throughout 2020 release season.
Speaking of tough pulls, finding the prized Mike Yastrzemski Topps chrome autograph rookie from heritage was like winning the hobby lottery. Only /5 produced, Yaz’ flagship Topps RC auto easily became the most valuable card in the base set. San Francisco Giants fans were thrilled to see “Yaz” emerge in 2019 and this ultra-rare card captured his exciting first season in the majors.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays continued his monster rise in 2020 by slugging his way to AL honors. As such, collectors went wild trying to locate his Topps Update Series rookie photograph variation. Pictured from the chest up in a closeup image instead of the typical full body shot, this Vlad Jr. variation carried significant odds and popularity. It instantly became a holy grail addition to Guerrero PC’s the moment it was unveiled. Finding it in a higher end parallel elevated the excitement and challenge.
Another exciting non-rookie was Fernando Tatis Jr. of the San Diego Padres. Expected to one day win MVP honors with his highly entertaining playing style, demand for Tatis Topps cards remained through the roof. His featured autograph and negative refractors from 2020 Topps Update were must-have chase cards for Padres PC builders. Like Guerrero Jr., any variations of Tatis were destined to hold value.
Looking internationally, fans followed two prized Cuban prospects very closely in 2020 – Jazz Chisholm and Jasson Dominguez. As they established themselves in the minors, collectors fixated on finding and acquiring their initial Topps RCs. Chisholm’s made waves in Heritage while Dominguez mania took over Topps Update Series. Both featured electrifying tools and tons of hype that translated well to the secondary market. Their base rookie cards proved elusive for many as the season progressed.
Variations always add collectors looking to “hit” the rarities and Topps 2020 offered a few serious rainbow builders. The aforementioned Vladdy photo variation tops those lists. Acuña Jr. and Soto also featured short printed photograph variations to chase across series. Additionally, Topps Update Series introduced an exciting Mike Trout negative refractor parallel /50 that became another high priority card, especially for Angels collectors. Finding any of these short printed hits while ripping packs provided an immense thrill.
Autographs remained a driving force in the 2020 release cycle as well. Top talents like Juan Soto, Acuña Jr., Bo Bichette,and Gleyber Torres signified future superstars on the rise. Their Topps Chrome autos from Factory Set, Heritage High Number, and Update Series were among the “white whales” countless collectors sought. Acquiring even a base auto of these young stars meant having an investment piece to hold long term. Of course, finding a true 1/1 printing plate auto would elevate the excitement to another stratosphere.
When reviewing the 2020 Topps baseball release, the key rookie cards like Lux, May, Chisholm, and Dominguez led many collector quests. National treasures like Tatis Jr., Yaz, Guerrero Jr., and Trout were major targets for PC builders as well. And of course, the thrill of chasing premier short printed parallels and autographs of Soto, Acuña Jr. and more kept the chase alive all year long. Whether ripping packs or scanning the secondary market, these were truly some of the top cards to look for from Topps’ 2020 flagship offering. Hope this gives you a better sense of what drove collector demand throughout the exciting season. Let me know if any other details would be helpful!
