The 2022 Topps Series 1 Baseball set is one of the most anticipated card releases each year. As the flagship product in Topps’ annual baseball card lineup, Series 1 provides collectors their first chance to add new rookie cards and updated player photos to their collections each season. The 2022 Series 1 checklist was released in late January, giving collectors a preview of the cards to find in packs and boxes when the product launched in mid-February.
The base card design for 2022 Series 1 features a clean and classic look. Players are shown in action shots on colorful solid color backgrounds. The team logo and player name appear at the bottom in block lettering. Topps kept things simple while still making the designs eye-catching. As with most years, the base cards make up the bulk of the set at 264 total cards.
Rookies are always a highlight of any Series 1 release and 2022 did not disappoint. Top prospects like Julio Rodriguez, Bobby Witt Jr., CJ Abrams, and Riley Greene headline the impressive rookie class featured. Rodriguez and Witt in particular are expected to be among the top rookies of the year and their cards are already in high demand. A total of 36 rookies are included spanning both the base set and additional insert sets.
Topps also included a wide range of veteran stars and franchise cornerstones. Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani, Fernando Tatis Jr., Ronald Acuña Jr., and Mookie Betts are some of the biggest names that received base cards. Popular young talents like Juan Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Wander Franco and more also made appearances. With such a variety of talented players, there is something in the set to appeal to fans of every MLB team.
In addition to the base cards, Topps loaded 2022 Series 1 with several popular insert sets for collectors to chase after. The Flagship Finest Foil parallel brought high-end foil treatments to 60 select cards. Other inserts included Gallery of Stars highlighting franchise greats, Topps Now Moments capturing iconic in-season performances, and League Leader stats cards. Autograph and memorabilia cards of top players could also be pulled randomly in packs or boxes at much rarer odds.
Topps also paid tribute to some important milestones and anniversaries with special cards. To celebrate Jackie Robinson Day, a retro photo of Robinson graced the #42 card in the set. For the 75th anniversary of the first televised MLB game in 1947, a special card recreated the historic Brooklyn Dodgers vs. Boston Braves broadcast was included. And for the 50th anniversary of the start of interleague play in 1997, a card highlighted the inaugural matchup between the San Francisco Giants and Texas Rangers was added to commemorative moments.
International players were represented too through various parallels and inserts. Flags of their home countries adorned cards for Shohei Ohtani of Japan, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Dominican Republic and more. Topps also created a subset specifically highlighting stars from different regions like MLB Asia. Collectors could build a truly global collection from the diversity included in 2022 Series 1.
Overall, Topps delivered another fantastic flagship baseball card set with 2022 Topps Series 1. With its classic design, exciting rookie class, star veterans, and array of popular inserts, it offers something for every type of collector. Whether looking to add new PC cards, invest in the next big stars, or commemorate memorable MLB moments, Series 1 as always provided a perfect starting point for the season. Its wide-ranging checklist ensured there was no shortage of cards to chase after making openings packs highly entertaining all year long. Series 1 continues to reign as the most essential baseball card release and the 2022 version did not disappoint.
