The 2022 Donruss Baseball set marked the second consecutive year that the popular trading card company partnered with Marvel Entertainment to produce a limited Marvel-themed insert set within the standard baseball card collection. Like the previous year, the 2022 Donruss Baseball Marvel Cards featured some of baseball’s biggest stars reimagined as iconic Marvel superheroes and villains.
Donruss is known for its flashy designs and photograph-based cards, making the Marvel crossover a natural fit. The collaboration allowed for creative card designs that placed current MLB players within illustrated Marvel storylines. A total of 50 Marvel parallel cards were inserted randomly in Donruss Baseball hobby boxes and packs throughout the season.
Some of the more notable 2022 Donruss Baseball Marvel Cards included:
Shohei Ohtani as Captain Marvel – One of the clearest examples of a player perfectly matching their superhero counterpart. Ohtani’s two-way playing abilities and otherworldly talents made him a perfect choice to portray the all-powerful Captain Marvel.
Juan Soto as Spider-Man – Soto’s youth, speed, and climb to stardom at a young age paralleled that of Peter Parker. The card featured Soto swinging through the city skylines behind a masked Spider-Man.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr as The Hulk – Vladdy’s sheer raw power at the plate was conveyed through his role as the formidable Hulk. Smashing baseballs was akin to the Hulk smashing anything in his path.
Fernando Tatis Jr as Wolverine – Tatis’ flashy playstyle and flare were a perfect match for the rebellious-natured Wolverine. The card depicted Tatis slicing through the air with Wolverine’s iconic claws extended.
Aaron Judge as Thor – At 6’7, Judge towering presence was fitting of the mighty Asgardian God of Thunder. The card artistically placed Judge’s massive frame within Thor’s hammer-wielding stance.
Ronald Acuña Jr. as Ant-Man – Acuña’s speed and ability to disrupt a game in an instant paralleled Ant-Man’s power to change size at will. The card zoomed in on Acuña mid-swing as the miniature-sized Ant-Man.
In addition to the star players, several role players and prospects were chosen for more obscure Marvel characters:
Brett Phillips as War Machine – A utility outfielder, Phillips fit the supporting role to Iron Man that War Machine provides.
Bobby Witt Jr. as Moon Knight – The top Royals prospect was placed as the multiple personality-possessing vigilante Moon Knight due to his projected future stardom.
Joey Bart as Venom – The Giants catcher was selected for the alien symbiote Venom to represent Bart’s raw power potential much like the character.
Sam Huff as Gambit – The Rangers catching prospect, known for his pop at the plate, paralleled Gambit’s explosive mutant abilities.
The design quality of each Marvel parallel card was top-notch. Illustrations placed each player seamlessly into scenes from Marvel comic panels and films. Golden Marvel logos autographed each player’s Marvel alter-ego. The rear of each card contained a baseball card style write-up outlining the player stats and their superhero comparison.
As with 2021, the 2022 Donruss Baseball Marvel Cards were a smash hit with collectors. Hobby boxes of the standard Donruss Baseball set sold out quickly due to the allure of randomly landing a coveted Marvel parallel inside. Many of the cards rose rapidly in secondary market price in the months after their release. Shohei Ohtani as Captain Marvel and Juan Soto as Spider-Man regularly commanded four-figure sums from eager collectors.
The immense popularity of the 2021 and 2022 Marvel collaborations guarantees that Donruss and Topps will continue to produce baseball trading cards incorporating comic book IP in future seasons. Both companies realized there is massive untapped crossover potential between the baseball and superhero collector bases. The creative Marvel designs gave standard baseball cards a jolt of excitement amidst the ever-growing sea of releases each year. As long as Topps and Panini continue to creatively blend two pop culture forces, the Marvel-themed cards will remain a standout aspect of the modern baseball card landscape. Their unique marriage of America’s pastime with its most iconic superheroes leaves avid collectors eagerly await what player-superhero mashups 2023 may bring.
In total, the 2022 Donruss Baseball Marvel Cards were an unbridled success both critically and financially. By seamlessly blending the worlds of baseball and Marvel comics, they found widespread appeal among both traditional card collectors and Marvel enthusiasts. Their artistic designs, coveted short print status, and imaginative player comparisons made each Marvel parallel a true chase card within the larger set. Two years in, Donruss and Marvel’s partnership has proven to be a match made in pop culture heaven with no signs of slowing down.
