Bobby Witt Jr. had an outstanding debut season in 2022 that saw his stock skyrocket among collectors. The top prospect in baseball lived up to the hype with a dominant campaign for the Kansas City Royals. As a result, Witt Jr.’s rookie cards from 2022 are some of the most sought after on the modern baseball card market.
Witt Jr. was selected with the second overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft by the Royals out of Colleyville Heritage High School in Texas. He quickly rose through the Royals’ farm system with stellar offensive production at every minor league stop. Entering 2022, Witt was considered the best prospect in the minors and ranked as the top overall prospect by nearly every evaluator.
There was immense excitement surrounding Witt’s major league debut in 2022 as collectors raced to pull his first Bowman Chrome cards from pack. Those cards immediately took off in value with mint PSA 10 gems commanding prices well over $1000 each. As Witt began tearing the cover off the ball in April for Kansas City, demand for those rookie cards only grew stronger.
Some of the most coveted Bobby Witt Jr. rookie cards on the market come from his appearance in the 2022 Topps Series 1 release. The base rookie card is one of the top rookies from the flagship set and can be found in the standard red border design. Graded PSA 10 examples of the Witt Series 1 rookie have averaged over $300 at auction. The paper version is also highly sought after by collectors looking to add a key Witt rookie to their collections.
Topps also included Witt in several parallel and short print variations that hold premium value. The rainbow foil paper version is one of the harder pulls from Series 1 hobby boxes. Likewise, the gold foil #/2021 parallel commands a large bonus over the base due to the limited print run. The red foil short print also carries a sizable premium. Perhaps most desirable of all is the prizm refractor variation, which graces collectors with Witt’s card encased in a colorful refracting coating. PSA 10 prism rookies have topped $1000 at auction.
In addition to his base rookie, Topps Series 1 featured Bobby Witt Jr. in several additional hit cards that excite collectors. The most sought after is arguably the photo variation, which offers an alternative photo of Witt in a Royals uniform. Printing only one per case on average, PSA 10 examples have reached $500 or more. Another short print favorite is the sepia variation, with its vintage style coloring. Both captures add considerable value to any Witt Jr. rookie collection.
Releases beyond Series 1 also highlighted Witt’s rookie success. Topps Finest and Topps Chrome each contained prizm, negative, and refractor parallels highly demanded by investors. The Topps Transcendent collection insert offers a regally rendered portrait photograph of Witt in an acetate frame. Upper Deck also featured Witt prominently in its 2022 offerings, including prized parallels in Chrome and Black. Many credit UD for creating the original “Chrome” design that kicked off the modern insert parallel craze in the ’90s.
On the international front, Panini held worldwide licensing rights to produce football (soccer) and baseball cards in 2022. Their Prizm and Flux brands both included sought after Witt rookies across multiple parallels. Like Topps Chrome, Panini Prizm is renowned for its vivid refractors and color explosions. Prizm “Black” and Gold parallels command premiums. Metal Universe parallels feature embedded metal flakes for a one-of-a-kind artwork within each card.
Witt made his MLB debut on April 7th, 2022 and he hasn’t slowed down since. He hit .256 with 13 home runs and 12 stolen bases over 108 games in his rookie season. Along the way, Witt showcased five-tool skills and established himself as a cornerstone player for the Royals rebuild. His tantalizing blend of power, speed, defense and youthful exuberance captivated fans nationwide. On the defensive side, Witt flashed natural instincts and range at second base that have evaluators projecting gold glove potential.
All the while, Bobby Witt Jr. baseball cards from 2022 continued to gain appreciation among collectors. Not since Fernando Tatis Jr.’s electrifying rookie season in 2019 had a player generated such buzz in the hobby simultaneously with their MLB debut. Many industry experts predict Witt’s rookies could ultimately rival or surpass the astronomical heights reached by stars like Mike Trout and Mickey Mantle in the long run. Only time will tell, but collectors are certainly taking notice of Witt’s immense talent and choosing to invest heavily in his earliest cardboard. The 2022 rookie class may ultimately be remembered as the year Bobby Witt Jr. burst onto the scene and sparked new excitement for the next generation of baseball stars.
