The 2022 Donruss Optic baseball set was released on June 29th and contains a wide array of highly coveted rookie cards and star veterans. Donruss Optic has established itself as one of the premium modern sports card products due to its sharp photography, textured designs, andParallel and auto/patch parallel insert sets that drive collector excitement. This year’s edition was no exception, featuring a fantastic array of cards that have topped want lists and sales charts. Let’s take an in-depth look at some of the standout cards from the 2022 Donruss Optic baseball release.
Perhaps the biggest star of the 2022 Donruss Optic set is New York Mets pitcher Trevor Williams. Williams had a breakout season in 2022 with the Mets and established himself as a reliable back-end starter. His base rookie card /499 in the set immediately began selling for over $100 upon release due to his compelling story and bright future with the Mets. The true crown jewels were his rare parallel and autographed versions. His Blue Parallel /50 and Green Parallel /25 routinely sold for $500-1000 each due to their ultra-low print runs. But by far the most coveted Williams card was his Pink Auto Parallel /10, which attained listings well over $2000 due to its extreme rarity and prestige as a one-of-ten parallel auto. With Williams looking like a strong long-term piece of the Mets’ rotation for years to come, his 2022 Donruss Optic cards established him as one of the true breakouts of the set.
Another major star of 2022 Donruss Optic was Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman, who had a phenomenal rookie campaign and looks poised to be a franchise cornerstone. Not surprisingly, his base rookie card /499 held steady value at $50-75 due to strong demand. His Green Parallel /25 was even more scarce and valuable, consistently selling above $200. But the real holy grails were his 1/1 Parallel and Auto Parallel cards, engraved with his name and lonely “1/1” printing. Reports had the 1/1 Parallel selling for well over $1000, while his exclusive 1/1 Auto Parallel was being valued upwards of $2500-3000 due to its unbelievable singular printing. With Rutschman looking like a perennial all-star, cards like these are destined to become true Baltimore treasures for collectors.
While Williams and Rutschman grabbed many 2022 Optic headlines, the set also featured breakouts from Miami’s Peyton Burdick and Tommy Nance of the Cubs. Burdick’s rookie campaign was incredibly promising, hitting 14 home runs down the stretch for Miami, and his /499 rookie established a $30-50 baseline. Meanwhile, Nance emerged as a solid mid-rotation starter for the Cubs late in the year, driving his base rookie upwards of $75-100. Their parallel and auto chase variants added another layer of intrigue, like Burdick’s Green Parallel /25 consistently trading hands above $150 due to his exciting power potential. And Nance’s Pink Auto Parallel /10, with its splendid parallel refractor and on-card auto, yielded multiple six-figure bids that astonished the hobby. With breakouts like these, 2022 Optic proved a true revelation of emerging talents across MLB.
Of course, the set also featured the ever-popular star veterans that collectors love to chase. Cards like Shohei Ohtani’s spectacular Photo Variations parallels and Mike Trout’s ubiquitous refractor and auto parallels found new life in the Optic design. An Ohtani Blue Ice Photo Variant /50 sold up near $800, while his 1/1 Printing Plate held multi-thousand dollar estimates. Meanwhile, Trout refractors and autos of all colors blazed up the ranks, with even his common Green Refractor /250 bringing over $100 due to his eternal popularity. Fellow Angels star Jared Walsh also broke out in 2022 and his Optic cards followed suit, headlined by a Green Auto Parallel /25 topping $400 in sales. These proven studs will always be bright lights that energize the set.
The 2022 Donruss Optic baseball set also carried forward Donruss’ fantastic tradition of intricate parallel designs and aesthetics. For instance, the Aqua Ice refractors mesmerized with their rich neon coating over photo-sharp cards. Juan Soto, Ronald Acuna Jr, and Wander Franco were among the most coveted in this parallel, trading consistently above $300-400 each due to their visual pizazz. Meanwhile, the Pink Ice parallels evoked a vivid burst of color that collectors couldn’t get enough of. Cards like Jose Ramirez’s Pink Ice /50 and George Springer’s /25 sold over $800 and $1200 respectively due to their rare printing and striking pink glow. On the autos front, Inscriptions parallels like Bo Bichette’s /25 and Carlos Correa’s /10 drove pricing upwards of $600-1000 because of the font embellishments. From front to back, 2022 Donruss Optic delivered a true sensory delight.
In total, the 2022 Donruss Optic baseball set proved yet again why it has become the preeminent modern retro design beloved by collectors. From breakout rookies to superstar veterans to stunning parallel pulls, the set offered something for everyone with incredible photographs, intricate designs, and scarce printing that made hits highly coveted. Keys like Trevor Williams, Adley Rutschman, Peyton Burdick, and Tommy Nance established themselves as the future, while stalwarts like Trout, Ohtani and Acuna sustained excitement. With parallels as glorious as Aqua Ice, Pink Ice, and Inscriptions, the visual presentation was second to none. Overall, 2022 Donruss Optic delivered a true renaissance of baseball cards that will be remembered for years to come.
