The 2022 baseball season saw a return to normalcy after two years impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Fans packed into ballparks again to cheer on their favorite teams and players. As is tradition, the major sports card manufacturers released full sets celebrating the new season.
Topps, the longest running and most iconic baseball card company, produced their flagship 2022 Topps Base set. The full wax box contained 396 total cards including base parallels and short prints. As with every year, the set featured every active player as well as all 30 MLB teams. Top rookies like Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh and Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts made their Topps rookie card debuts. Veterans like Albert Pujols chasing historic milestones and Shohei Ohtani doing things never seen before were highlighted. Retired legends including David Ortiz and Tim Lincecum received tribute cards as well.
Parallel inserts of the base cards added to the excitement of the full release. The Chrome variation foil coated some of the cardboard with a modern accent. Refractors hit at a tough 1:288 packs and pulled a shine off the photos that is a challenge to capture on camera. Topps Finest took the craft even further with intricate etched foil patterns adding depth and flair impossible to achieve with regular printing. Gold parallels numbered to 2021 paid homage to the calendar year. Short prints with slightly altered photos kept collectors on high alert when flipping through each pack.
While Topps stayed the course with their familiar design approach, Panini brought fun new energy to their 2022 Donruss Baseball release. Vibrant red borders made each card truly pop on the collector’s desk. Donruss debuted a ‘Level 3’ on-card autograph parallel with swatches of game worn memorabilia embedded right on the front of select cards. National league MVP Bryce Harper and AL batting champion Aaron Judge were among those who received the coveted treatment.
Speaking of swatches, Topps Dynasty hit a home run with their premium patches and relics. Jacob DeGrom, Yordan Alvarez and Juan Soto all received exquisite dual or triple relic parallels premium collectors chased feverishly. Meanwhile, Leaf Metal Universe took the flash factor to new heights with revolutionary foiled signature cards. Gold ink autographed parallels of Wander Franco, Julio Rodriguez and more scintillated in the light like none before.
While the sheer volume and options could be overwhelming for newcomers to the hobby, the 2022 release embodied the fun and excitement that keeps collectors coming back year after year. From base rookies to spectacular one-of-a-kinds, every pack held the potential for discovery. With so many ways to build sets featuring favorite teams and players, the release helped bring baseball card fandom to a new generation.
The pandemic emphasized the creativity and resilience of sports card manufacturing. With the return of in-person sales though hobby shops and card shows, 2022 saw that passion and inventiveness thrive once more. New innovations in parallel designs and embellishments continually push the limits of what can be achieved on the cardboard medium. Whether adding a certain parallels to their collection or chasing down elusive short prints, fans enjoyed the thrill of the chase that keeps the tradition alive decade after decade.
With the baseball season in full swing and the 2023 products already on the horizon, anticipation is high for what new innovations and player highlights the upcoming year may bring. Topps and Panini seem poised as ever before to deliver fresh takes and surprises that keep the hobby endlessly engaging for veterans and newcomers alike. As long as the game is played, collectors will be there every step of the way to document and commemorate each new season with the annual full set releases.
