2023 MLB Baseball Cards Release Dates
The 2023 MLB season is fast approaching which means new baseball cards featuring this year’s top players and rookies will soon be hitting store shelves and online retailers. Card companies like Topps, Panini, Leaf and others spend months planning their upcoming releases to coincide with the baseball calendar and build anticipation among collectors. Here’s a breakdown of the major 2023 MLB baseball card releases and their expected release dates.
Topps Series 1 (February 15, 2023)
As has been the case for decades, Topps kicks off its annual MLB card release cycle with Series 1 in mid-February. This flagship set is always one of the most anticipated releases of the year as it features current photos of every player along with rookie cards of the top prospects who made their MLB debuts the previous season. Series 1 cards also hold significant value long-term as they are considered the “base” cards in most players’ career sets. The 2023 Topps Series 1 release date is slated for February 15th with a checklist of about 330 cards including short prints, parallels and insert cards.
Panini Prizm (Late February/Early March 2023)
Panini has emerged as Topps’ main competition in the baseball card market in recent years. Their Prizm brand has become one of the hottest NBA, NFL and MLB card lines. For 2023, Panini is expected to release its MLB Prizm set in late February or early March. Like Topps Series 1, Prizm will include base rookie cards and updates photos of all active players. Panini Prizm cards are known for their flashy refractors, parallels and “hits” which include memorabilia and autograph cards that drive interest among collectors.
Topps Series 2 (Late March/Early April 2023)
About 6-8 weeks after Series 1, Topps follows up with Series 2 which continues photographing and providing base cards for every MLB player. Series 2 also spotlights rookie cards of players who made their MLB debut later in the 2022 season than those featured in Series 1. Insert sets in Topps Series 2 often focus on special player achievements and award winners from the previous season as well. The targeted release window for Topps 2023 Series 2 is late March through early April.
Topps Heritage (Mid-April 2023)
Topps Heritage has become a fan favorite set that pays homage to the look and feel of vintage baseball cards from the 1950s-1970s. The retro-styled design features traditional team logo uniforms and a distinct color palette. Heritage cards carry higher values than the mainstream Topps issues due to their more limited print runs. In 2023, look for Topps Heritage to arrive in mid-April with a checklist of about 350 total cards including base, parallels, insert sets and coveted autographs recreating the old-time baseball card aesthetic.
Topps Series 1 Retail Blaster/Hanger Boxes (Late April/Early May 2023)
While the coveted hobby boxes of Topps Series 1 hit the market in mid-February, retail blaster and hanger packs containing the same cards start finding their way into big box stores, drug stores and supermarkets several weeks later. The wait is usually worth it for collectors looking to try their luck at pulling the hot rookies and short prints included in Series 1 at a more affordable price point than the high-end hobby product. In 2023, expect Series 1 blasters and hangers to land on shelves in late April through early May.
Topps Chrome (Mid-May 2023)
Topps Chrome has become one of the most anticipated regular issues each year due to the “refractor” technology that gives the cards a shimmery, eye-catching look. Topps Chrome rookies and parallels often carry a premium above the same players’ base Topps cards. The set usually arrives in mid-May with a checklist similar to Topps Series 1 and 2 but also including additional short prints and parallel variations that collectors eagerly chase. Topps Chrome is known for housing some of the biggest rookie card gems each season.
Topps Allen & Ginter (Late June/Early July 2023)
Allen & Ginter has a long history in the baseball card hobby but in recent years has taken on more of a fun, eclectic theme with oddball inserts spotlighting everything from actors to historic figures. The set still includes base cards for all MLB players but is less focused on stats and more about capturing a collector’s interest with its quirky extras. Look for A&G to drop in late June/early July next year with its standard 350-400 card checklist plus creative bonus material added into hobby boxes.
Topps Archives (Mid-July 2023)
Topps Archives is a nostalgia-driven set that recreates the look and feel of specific years from the 1970s-1990s. In 2023, expect the retro design to potentially pay homage to a year like 1987 or 1992. Along with recreating the old uniform photos and color schemes, Archives houses a mix of current player and throwback star cards. The mid-July target release makes it a fun way for collectors to get their baseball card fix during the All-Star break. Archives cards often carry value as investments due to the set’s limited print runs.
Topps Finest (Late August/Early September 2023)
Topps Finest takes the foil and refractor technology of Chrome to an even higher-end level with its ultra-premium presentation and parallels. The checklist usually mirrors Topps Series 1-2 but Finest cards are printed on higher quality stock and housed in elegant boxes. Inserts focus heavily on star rookies and big name veterans. With a planned late August or early September drop, Finest arrives just as the playoff push is heating up. It’s become a must-have set for high-end collectors.
Topps Update (Mid-September 2023)
Topps Update serves as the annual season-long supplement to the flagship Topps Series 1-2 releases by featuring rookie cards of any players who made their MLB debut after the regular season sets were produced. Update also provides updated photos and any new stats or awards accumulated by veterans over the summer. Expect Topps to launch Update in mid-September next year right as the playoff races come down to the wire. It’s a great set to chase late-blooming rookie gems.
Topps Transcendent Collection (October/November 2023)
As one of the true high-end, luxury releases each year, Topps Transcendent arrives just before or after the World Series. Featuring autographs, memorabilia cards and 1/1 rarities of all-time greats, Transcendent boxes command huge prices but also house generational investments for collectors. While not technically a “release date,” keep an eye out for Transcendent Collection boxes to start popping up in the fall of 2023 for those looking to treat themselves to the pinnacle of baseball card collecting.
In summary, 2023 figures to be another exciting year in the hobby as the traditional MLB card companies like Topps, Panini and Leaf unveil their new releases timed around the baseball season. With rookies like Grayson Rodriguez and Druw Jones likely to debut, and stars like Shohei Ohtani and Ronald Acuña Jr. continuing to dominate, there will be no shortage of collecting storylines to follow.
