The 2022 Topps Baseball release brought several highly sought after rookie cards and star player base cards. While most base cards in a standard Topps series 1-2 run have relatively low values, there are always a select few that emerge as the most valuable. Several factors contribute to a base card gaining significant value, including star player status, career milestones reached, authentic autographed and memorabilia cards, and hugely popular rookies expected to have Hall of Fame caliber careers.
Let’s take a look at some of the top 2022 Topps Baseball base cards that have already proven to be the most valuable based on current PSA 10 gem mint eBay sold listings and market trends:
Juan Soto #280 – At just 23 years old, Juan Soto has already established himself as one of the game’s brightest young stars and best pure hitters. His dominance at such a young age makes him a prime candidate to have a Jeff Bagwell or Albert Pujols level career. Soto’s #280 base card has consistently sold in the $150-300 range in PSA 10 condition on eBay. With continued MVP level production, this could end up being a $500+ card down the road.
Ronald Acuña Jr. #299 – Another young phenom who was well on his way to superstardom before injuries slowed his progress. Acuña brings five tools to the table with electrifying speed and power. When fully healthy again in 2023, he will remind fans why he’s one of the most exciting players in baseball. The Acuña #299 has shattered records by selling for over $1200 in PSA 10 condition, a testament to his endless upside if he can stay on the field.
Mike Trout #178 – It’s hard to find a more valuable modern player collection than Mike Trout. The days of casually finding his rookie cards in packs are long gone. Trout continues to cement his case as the best all-around player of this generation and is on pace for a no-doubt Hall of Fame career. His #178 base card has topped $500 in PSA 10 as the current face of the league and a true standard for excellence at the plate each season.
Sandy Alcantara #322 – Alcantara took a major step forward in 2022 and emerged as the ace of the Marlins staff with a 2.28 ERA over 228.1 innings pitched. He finished with a career high 6.2 bWAR and cemented his place among the NL Cy Young Award candidates. At only 27 years old and with continued mastery of his four pitch mix, Alcantara is primed for many more excellent seasons. His #322 currently fetches around $150-250 in PSA 10 condition as collectors appreciate early legends in the making.
Julio Rodríguez #296 – As the 2022 AL Rookie of the Year and likely 2023 AL ROY favorite as well, J-Rod’s star continues to rise at a meteoric pace. At just 21 years old, he showed five tool ability, blasting 28 home runs with 25 stolen bases in his first full MLB campaign. Rodríguez is already one of the most exciting young players in baseball and has a high ceiling as a perennial All-Star. His base card routinely sells for $500-700 graded PSA 10 and only figures to appreciate as he hits his prime years.
Byron Buxton #307 – When healthy, Buxton is one of the best all-around players in the game with jaw dropping speed and athleticism in the outfield coupled with 30 home run power potential. Injuries have plagued his career to date, but 2022 saw Buxton stay on the field and lead the AL with a 2.9 bWAR. If he can maintain Durability moving forward, a career year is on the table potentially pushing him into superstar status. As the potential breakout star of 2023, his #307 sells for $200-350 in PSA 10 condition.
Ronald Acuña Jr. Autograph #307 – No Topps flagship list would be complete without including Acuña’s wildly popular autographed parallel, limited to only /100 copies. These autographs were inserted at an extremely low rate, making them among the rarest Acuña cards out there. With his universal fan favorite status and comeback from injury in 2023, these #307 autographs regularly sell in the $2,000-3,500 range PSA/BGS graded. Acuña’s autograph value stands to appreciate greatly if he reaches his full superstar abilities.
Baseball Royalty – Legendary careers will always be respected and collected. Players like Mike Piazza #329, Chipper Jones #371, Craig Biggio #363 command $50-150 in PSA 10 as collectors appreciate their Hall of Fame excellence and what they brought to the game. Greats who are in their later seasons like Albert Pujols #269 and Miguel Cabrera #287 typically sell in the $75-150 range for their modern era base rookies and stars as fans pick up affordable pieces of history.
Gold Parallel Stars – For the cream of the crop superstar players, finding one of their prized 1/1 gold parallel inserts elevates the card to a whole new level of rarity and value. Examples include Ronald Acuña Jr. Gold #307 ($4,000 PSA 10), Juan Soto Gold #280 ($1,500 PSA 10) and Mike Trout Gold #178 (>$2,000 PSA 10). These ultra-limited parallels distinguish those cards as true one-of-a-kind collectibles for even the biggest fans.
While base cards are typically less desired than hits, autographs and parallels – the right player at the right time can transform even a humble base card into a significant long term investment. 2022 Topps shed light on the emerging talents and established icons that will lead baseball for years to come. With continued on-field achievements, many of these base rookies and stars profile to appreciate nicely for savvy collectors.
