The 2023 Topps Heritage baseball card set is one of the most anticipated releases each year for collectors both young and old. As with every Heritage release, Topps pays homage to classic designs from the past while featuring today’s biggest MLB stars. Here are some of the standout cards collectors will be hunting for when the 2023 Topps Heritage set is released in late March or early April.
One of the premier rookie cards in the upcoming set will be that of Tampa Bay Rays star shortstop Wander Franco. As one of the top prospects in baseball and coming off a stellar rookie campaign in 2022 where he slashed .288/.347/.457 with 5 home runs and 39 RBI in 70 games, Franco looks to be a cornerstone player for the Rays for years to come. His Heritage rookie card will have collectors clamoring to add this to their PC.
Another highly sought after rookie will be Houston Astros pitcher Hunter Brown. Brown made his MLB debut in 2022 and impressed with a 1.69 ERA in 5 starts. The 24-year old righty has a mid-90s fastball and plus slider that could make him a mainstay in Houston’s rotation for a long time. Brown’s prospect pedigree and early MLB success point to his Heritage RC being a hot ticket.
Veteran superstars will also have collectors hunting through packs and boxes. One of the most iconic players of this generation, Mike Trout, always has cards that stand out in Heritage sets due to the retro-style designs playing to his good looks and athleticism. The multi-time AL MVP continues to dominate at age 30 and any Trout pull will be a clear centerpiece for most collectors.
Another generational talent, Shohei Ohtani, also tends to have memorable Heritage cards that highlight his two-way abilities. Ohtani followed up his 2021 AL MVP campaign by batting .273 with 34 home runs and 95 RBI at the plate in 2022 while also posting a 2.33 ERA in 28 starts on the mound. His popularity and unique skills as a hitter/pitcher make any Ohtani card a prize.
Rookies and veterans aren’t the only players that will attract attention in the 2023 Topps Heritage set. Young stars continuing to make their mark on the game such as Vladimir Guerrero Jr, Ronald Acuña Jr, Juan Soto, and Fernando Tatis Jr will surely have inserts, parallels, and base cards that stand out with the classic designs Topps utilizes.
Guerrero followed up his 2021 All-Star campaign by batting .274 with 32 home runs for the Blue Jays in 2022. Acuña is looking to return to the MVP-caliber play he showed prior to knee injuries in recent years that cost him time. Soto, still just 24, is a perennial batting title threat for the Padres and Tatis hopes to put injury-plagued 2022 fully in the rearview mirror as he looks to bring more excitement to Petco Park when healthy.
Topps Heritage sets also often feature popular retired players and legends of the game that collectors enjoy seeing in the throwback uniform designs. Cards of Derek Jeter, Ken Griffey Jr, Cal Ripken Jr, and other all-time greats will surely be chased. For example, any Ripken card donning an old-school Baltimore Orioles uniform is sure to entice collectors and Orioles fans alike.
Parallels and inserts tend to hold great value in Heritage releases as well. Topps parallels like Gold, Silver, Refractors, and Toppstown can make hits much more scarce and valuable. Popular insert sets within Heritage like Stars of the Game, Turn Back The Clock, and Traded sets also gain popularity each year. Autographs, memorabilia cards, and 1/1 plates round out the premier chase cards.
The 2023 Topps Heritage baseball release is primed to be another huge hit with the collector community. With classic designs meeting today’s stars and tomorrow’s future HOFers, there will be no shortage of cards that catch the eyes of those searching packs. The vintage feel of Heritage has long been a favorite for collectors young and old, ensuring this set will be one of the most anticipated releases of 2023.
