The 2020 Topps baseball card season featured some interesting rookies and highly sought after veteran stars. While most common cards have limited value, there are always a select few cards each year that command higher prices due to short printed parallels, autographed memorabilia cards, or rookie phenoms with breakout potential. Let’s take a deeper look at some of the 2020 Topps cards currently worth the most money on the secondary market.
One of the biggest standouts from 2020 is Los Angeles Angels outfielder and 2019 AL Rookie of the Year Mike Trout. Trout is widely considered the best baseball player of his generation and his cards always hold strong value. The prized Trout rookie is from his 2009 Bowman Draft Chrome set, but his modern autograph and memorabilia cards produce huge numbers as well. Top Trout cards from the 2020 Topps Series 1 and Series 2 sets include short printed parallels like the Gold (#/2020), Rainbow Foil (#/25), and Topps Chrome Refractors. These scarce Trout parallels steadily sell in the $100-$300 range. Later in the season, Trout autographed and game-used memorabilia cards from 2020 Topps Archives Signatures and Topps Total hit the thousands of dollars.
The 2020 rookie class was headlined by Miami Marlins first baseman Jesus Luzardo. As one of baseball’s top pitching prospects, Luzardo made his MLB debut in August and showed ace potential. His base Topps Chrome rookie card sells in the $10-20 range, while premium parallels like the Refractor (#/299), Rainbow Foil (#/25), and Gold (#/2020) command over $100 each due to limited print runs. Fellow rookies Gavin Lux of the Dodgers and Nate Pearson of the Blue Jays also had short printed parallels from Series 1 and Chrome fetch $50-150. Later in the season, Topps Finest Lux and Topps Chrome Update Pearson autos sell for $150-300.
Another rookie pitcher whose cards gained value was Seattle Mariners breakout lefty Justus Sheffield. After a strong 2020 season which included winning AL Pitcher of the Month in September, Sheffield’s Series 1 rookie sells for $15-30. Scarcer Topps Chrome and rainbow foil parallels have sold for up to $100 due to his rising potential. Top 2020 cards of former top prospects like Dylan Carlson (Cardinals), Bryan Reynolds (Pirates), and Garrett Whitlock (Red Sox) also gained traction once they debuted and performed well, with premium parallels reaching $50-150.
Veteran stars who always command high prices include Mike Trout, Christian Yelich, Cody Bellinger, Ronald Acuña Jr., and Juan Soto. Short prints of these elite talents consistently sell in the $30-150 range. Legendary veterans like Hall of Famers Derek Jeter, Ken Griffey Jr, and Chipper Jones also see heightened collector interest. Jeter’s Topps Series 1 Grey parallel (#/2020) sold for over $300, while series-ending Griffey and Jones rookie cards remain priced in the thousands.
Autographed and memorabilia cards produce the highest values across the 2020 Topps season. High-dollar hits include a Mike Trout Topps Gold Label auto patch (#/5) which fetched over $10,000, and a Cody Bellinger Topps Museum Collection auto and memorabilia card that sold for nearly $4,000. Stars like Acuña Jr., Alex Bregman, Pete Alonso, and Fernando Tatís Jr. also had 1/1 printing plates, autographed jersey cards, and rare signature cards hit the $500-2,000 range. These rare, sought-after signed memorabilia cards represent the true high-end of the 2020 Topps product line.
While most 2020 Topps base cards hold minimal long-term value, certain scarce parallels and autographed cards featuring baseball’s top talents like Trout, Acuña Jr., Bellinger, and top rookie performers provide the best returns. With the continued growth of the modern trading card industry, these premium 2020 cards are sure to appreciate over time for savvy collectors. The 2020 season provided exciting rookies and memorable veterans performances, translating to worthwhile modern cardboard for those who invest in the scarce parallels and hits featuring the game’s emerging stars.
