The 2023 Stars and Stripes baseball card checklist promises to be another exciting release from Topps. As the official MLB license holder, Topps is able to include all current major and minor league players in their base sets each year. Here is an in-depth look at what collectors can expect to find in the upcoming 2023 Stars and Stripes release.
The base set will again feature the standard 260 cards as in recent years. Rosters will be up-to-date as of Opening Day 2023, so any players that have moved teams via free agency or trade over the offseason will be pictured in their new uniforms. Top prospects that made their MLB debuts in 2022 like Bobby Witt Jr. and Spencer Torkelson will graduate from rookie cards to their main set cards. Veterans like Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera chasing career milestones will also be highlights.
Parallels have become a huge part of modern baseball card sets and 2023 Stars and Stripes will continue that trend. Expect several different parallel variations of the base cards that will include variations for photo negative, sepia tone, camo, and more. Numbered parallels like gold (/50) and silver (/75) will provide the chase for collectors. Autograph and memorabilia cards will be inserted at approximate odds of 1:12 packs.
Topps Update Series has become one of the most anticipated expansions each year to keep rosters current. Look for the 2023 Update Series cards to hit shelves in late summer/early fall to account for any additional trades or call-ups. Top prospects like Gunnar Henderson and Emerson Hancock should receive their first MLB cards in the Update if they make their debuts during the season.
The rookie card class of 2023 is shaping up to be one of the strongest in recent memory headlined by high school phenom Druw Jones. As the #2 overall pick in the 2022 draft, Jones will have one of the most sought-after rookie cards. Other top prospects like Elijah Green, Jackson Holliday, and Termarr Johnson will also receive their first Topps cards after being selected in the 1st round of the 2022 draft. International signings like Oswald Pereira and Lazaro Montes will round out one of the deepest rookie classes in years.
Retired players that hung up their cleats after the 2022 season like Albert Pujols, Miguel Cabrera, and Yadier Molina will receive “Final Season” variations of their cards. These special final cards have become highly collectible in recent years as fans look to commemorate the careers of all-time great players. Topps has also started issuing “Tribute” cards for recently retired players or those that have passed away. Expect cards honoring legends like Hank Aaron, Roberto Clemente, and Don Sutton in the 2023 set.
Veteran stars in the prime of their careers like Shohei Ohtani, Ronald Acuña Jr., and Juan Soto will remain some of the most sought-after base rookies in the set. Parallels and autographs of these young superstars can fetch a premium on the secondary market. Sleeper rookie cards to watch include catcher Gabriel Moreno who had a breakout season for the Blue Jays and outfielder Esteury Ruiz who made his MLB debut with the Padres in 2022.
Topps usually includes several special “hits” inserted at low odds throughout the base set as chase cards. Possibilities for 2023 could include 1/1 printing plates, game-used memorabilia cards featuring pieces of a specific player’s jersey or bat, and autographs from veteran stars and top rookies. High-end parallels like gold foil (/50) and red foil (/25) can also provide excitement on the hunt for the big “hit” in a pack or box.
With a strong crop of rookies headlined by Druw Jones and a full complement of current MLB stars, the 2023 Stars and Stripes baseball card set promises to be another highly anticipated release. Factor in all the parallels, variations, inserts, and low-numbered cards that Topps packs into their flagship product each year and it’s easy to see why Stars and Stripes remains one of the most popular modern issues. Whether chasing base cards, rookie phenoms, or big autograph “hits”, 2023 looks to have something for collectors at every level.
