The 2022 Upper Deck baseball card set is one of the most anticipated releases each year from the legendary card manufacturer. Upper Deck has been producing high-quality baseball cards since 1989 and they continue to push the boundaries of innovation and design with each new release. Here’s an in-depth look at what collectors can expect from the 2022 Upper Deck baseball cards.
Base Set: The base card set will feature over 350 cards focused on the 2021 MLB season. Each card will feature a current photo of the player on a white background. Rookies and stars of the game will have glossy finishes while veterans and role players will have a standard matte finish. The design is clean and focused on clearly showing each player. The set number will be prominently displayed on the lower right corner of the front of the card. On the back, players stats from 2021 will be shown along with a brief career summary. As with all Upper Deck releases, the photgraphs and production quality of the base cards will be top-notch.
Parallels: Upper Deck is known for their extensive parallel card variations within each set. The 2022 release will continue this trend with a wide array of parallels to find. The standard parallels this year include Gold (#/50), Orange (#/25), Red (#/10), Green (#/5), and 1/1 Platinum parallels. There will be “rainbow foil” parallels available in different color combinations for select stars of the game. Upper Deck will also have “negative image” parallels where the photo is inverted in color. These parallels add tremendous chase and collecting fun to the base set.
Rookies: One of the most exciting aspects each year is the rookie cards debuting future MLB stars. The 2022 Upper Deck set will highlight the top rookies from the 2021 season. Cards of players like Bobby Witt Jr, Riley Greene, and Bryson Stott will be coveted additions to any collection. The rookie cards will have a special logo on the front marking them as a rookie card. Top prospects who didn’t debut in 2021 but are expected to in 2022 like Julio Rodriguez will also have cards in the set.
Short Prints: Upper Deck is known to include scarce “short print” cards in their releases to add to the chase. Details on the specific ratios and players chosen aren’t known but these hard to find SP cards of stars will get collectors ripping packs feverishly. The short prints will be indistinguishable in design from the base cards but offer a fun bonus when discovered.
Autographs and Memorabilia: For collectors seeking high-end hits, Upper Deck will have several autograph and memorabilia card inserts throughout the product release. These include on-card autographs, patch cards with swatches of jerseys or other game-used memorabilia, and dual memorabilia cards. Top stars and rookies will be featured at lower serial number printing. Hobby boxes are expected to contain 1-2 of these premium inserts on average.
Additional Insert Sets: Upper Deck always creates several fun and varied insert sets beyond the base cards to provide more collecting opportunities. Some planned inserts for 2022 include “Superstars” highlighting the best current players, “League Leaders” focusing on 2021 statistical champions, and “Hall of Fame” tribute cards. Retired star autographs and jersey cards are also expected to be inserted throughout packs and boxes.
Production and Release: Upper Deck will produce the 2022 baseball cards through their state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities to ensure flawless quality control. Hobby boxes are expected to retail around $100-120 and will contain 24 packs with 11 cards per pack including the base set, inserts, and autograph/memorabilia chase. Release timing is slated for late Q1/early Q2 2022 to capture the excitement of the upcoming MLB season.
Overall, Upper Deck continues setting the gold standard for modern baseball cards with their 2022 release. The combination of classic photography, innovative parallels, sought-after rookies, and enticing chase cards make it one of the most anticipated sets on the yearly calendar. Whether a long time collector or just starting out, the 2022 Upper Deck baseball cards are sure to be a tremendous addition to any collection with their wide appeal, quality, and fun factor. It’s sure to be another home run from the industry leader when it arrives next spring.
