The 2023 baseball season is fast approaching, which means new baseball card releases are on the horizon from the major card manufacturers. Panini, Topps, Leaf, and Donruss will all be launching new card sets featuring the upcoming season and the latest rookie classes. Here’s an in-depth look at what collectors can expect from the major 2023 baseball cards packs releases.
Topps Series 1 is always one of the premier releases of the new year and 2023 will be no exception. The flagship Topps set is expected to have around 300 base cards along with numerous parallels, inserts, and rookie cards. Some of the top rookies expected to be featured include Druw Jones, Termarr Johnson, Elijah Green, and Jackson Holliday. Topps Update Series has become one of the most anticipated releases of the fall in recent years thanks to its late season rookie additions. Expect plenty of call-ups from the 2023 season to get their Topps rookie cards in Update Series packs.
Panini Prizm is the premium brand’s top baseball offering and it always delivers spectacular parallels and rookie cards. The 2023 Prizm baseball set is expected to have around 250 cards with numerous color and parallel variations of the top rookies and stars. Panini also releases Donruss Baseball which offers a more retro aesthetic compared to the slick look of Prizm. Donruss packs can contain popular “Diamond Kings” inserts highlighting the game’s biggest names. Leaf Metal Draft is another highly anticipated release for its college and high school prospect cards in metallic parallels.
While Topps, Panini, and Leaf battle for collector dollars each year, Donruss has been increasing its baseball presence with competitive products. 2023 Donruss Baseball will include base cards, parallels, and popular inserts like “Flawless” and “Cleat Kings”. The retro design paired with sought-after rookie cards makes Donruss packs a hot commodity. Smaller brands like Stadium Club, Allen & Ginter, Tier One, and Bowman are releasing sets with unique designs and chase cards for dedicated collectors.
When it comes to the biggest rookie class in years, the class of 2023 is headlined by high school phenom Druw Jones. As the #2 overall draft pick, Jones is poised to be one of the most in-demand rookies. His Topps Chrome, Bowman Chrome, and Prizm rookie cards will be at the top of want lists. Termarr Johnson and Elijah Green also figure to have strong rookie card offerings after being first round picks. Shortstop Jackson Holliday, the #1 overall pick, will undoubtedly have some of the most valuable rookie cards as well. Keep an eye out for parallels and autographs of these top prospects in packs and boxes.
Veteran star cards also remain popular chase cards. Topps, Donruss, and Panini packs have small odds of containing a numbered parallel or autograph of superstars like Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto, Ronald Acuña Jr, Mike Trout, and more. Insert sets highlighting these players are also highly sought after by collectors. Rarest of all are 1/1 printing plate autographs, which are true unicorns pulled from packs. With talented rookies and beloved veterans, the 2023 baseball card season is primed to be one of the most exciting collecting years in recent memory.
Whether it’s ripping packs at the local card shop or searching breakers online, the thrill of the hunt for the next big rookie card or hit of your PC player is part of what makes the hobby so engaging. With so many quality releases on the horizon from the major brands, 2023 is shaping up to be a banner year for baseball card collectors. The arrival of the new season means it’s time to stock up on boxes, blasters, and hangers of the hottest new sets in anticipation of landing the next star rookie or coveted parallel.
