Baseball Card Release Dates in 2022
The new year brings with it plenty of exciting new baseball card releases from the major card companies like Topps, Panini, Leaf, and more. 2022 shapes up to be another huge year for baseball card collectors and investors as the industry continues to boom in popularity. Here’s an overview of some of the biggest and most anticipated baseball card releases coming in 2022 across the various card brands.
Topps Series 1 (Released February 9th)
Topps kicked things off early in 2022 with their flagship Series 1 release on February 9th. As always, Series 1 is the first major retail baseball card release of the new season and features current star players, prospects, and rookie cards. Some of the top rookies in Series 1 included Bobby Witt Jr, Julio Rodriguez, and Spencer Torkelson. The release consisted of 396 total cards and included parallels, autographs, and memorabilia cards as inserts. Series 1 is always one of the most sought after releases each year due to its affordable price point and inclusion of the first rookie cards of the season.
Topps Heritage (Released March 9th)
Topps Heritage is one of the most popular vintage-style releases each year, dropping on March 9th in 2022. The set pays tribute to the classic design styles of the 1950s/1960s and features retro-styled photography on a glossy stock. Top rookies in the 2022 Heritage set included Jose Miranda, Spencer Strider, and Brennan Davis. Like Series 1, Heritage inserts include parallels, autographs, and relic cards. The set has 384 total base cards and is a must-have for collectors who enjoy the nostalgic aesthetic of the vintage design.
Topps Opening Day (Released March 16th)
Released just one week after Heritage on March 16th, Topps Opening Day celebrates the start of the new MLB season. The base set consists of 330 total cards showing players in their team uniforms for the upcoming year. Top prospects like Bobby Witt Jr and Julio Rodriguez received their first color photos in team gear in this release. Inserts again include parallels, autographs, and relic cards of current stars. Opening Day is a fan-favorite set to kick off the excitement for the first pitch of the 2022 season.
Topps Chrome (Released April 6th)
Topps Chrome is one of the most anticipated releases each spring, dropping on April 6th in 2022. The set features an all-foil design with refractors, parallels and color variations galore. Top prospects like Spencer Torkelson and CJ Abrams received their first Chrome cards in this release. Autograph and memorabilia cards of big names like Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani, and Ronald Acuña Jr were hot commodities for collectors. Chrome is renowned for its flashy appearance and is a must-have for collectors displaying high-end cards in their collections.
Panini Prizm (Released Late April)
Panini owns the exclusive MLBPA player license, so their Prizm release is the only place to find rookie cards featuring player names and likenesses. An exact release date has not been confirmed, but Prizm typically drops in late April. Top rookies Bobby Witt Jr, Julio Rodriguez, and CJ Abrams received their first Prizm cards in this release. Like Chrome, Prizm features an all-foil design that collectors love for its flashy look. Inserts include parallels, refractors, mosaics, and autographs of top prospects and stars.
Topps Finest (Released May 18th)
Topps Finest delivered another highly anticipated release on May 18th, known for its premium foil and refractor designs. The base set featured 330 cards showcasing the best photography of the season thus far. Top prospects like Spencer Strider and Brennan Davis received their first Finest cards here. As with other Topps high-end releases, Finest inserts included parallels, autographs, and memorabilia cards of stars and prospects. The flashy refractors and premium design make Finest a sought-after set each year.
Topps Allen & Ginter (Released June 15th)
Allen & Ginter brought its unique mix of baseball players and non-sports subjects on June 15th. The base set included global superstars like Shohei Ohtani alongside historical figures, artists, landmarks and more. Top prospects like Bobby Witt Jr and CJ Abrams received their traditional Allen & Ginter cards here. Inserts as always included parallels, autographs and memorabilia cards. A&G is a fan-favorite summer release due to its quirky combinations of baseball with other interests.
Topps Archives (Released July 13th)
Topps Archives on July 13th delivered another retro-styled set, this time focusing on player designs from the 1980s and early 1990s. Top prospects like Bobby Witt Jr and Gunnar Henderson received their first Archives cards recreating classic designs. As with Heritage, the set included parallels, autographs and memorabilia inserts of both current stars and players from the eras featured. Archives is a must-have for collectors who enjoy the nostalgia of baseball card designs from decades past.
Topps Update Series (Released September 7th)
Topps wrapped up its flagship releases on September 7th with the annual Topps Update Series. The set included mid-season additions like rookie debuts of players like Oneil Cruz and players traded to new teams. Top prospects like Emerson Hancock and Andrew Painter received their first Update cards here. Inserts again included the usual parallels, autographs and relics. Update is an important late-season release to capture all the year’s player movement and rookie debuts.
Topps Chrome Update (Released September 21st)
Topps followed Update with the September 21st release of Chrome Update, delivering more shiny rookie cards and additions in the premium Chrome design. Top rookies like Brennan Davis and Cade Cavalli received their first Chrome Update cards here. Autographs and memorabilia of stars like Shohei Ohtani and Ronald Acuña Jr were hot commodities. Chrome Update is the final flagship release of the year from Topps before the offseason.
Panini Contenders (Released Fall 2022)
Panini’s big fall release is Contenders, though an exact date has not been announced. Like Prizm, Contenders features the exclusive MLBPA player names and likenesses. Top rookies from the season like Oneil Cruz and Emerson Hancock will receive their Contenders rookie cards here. Inserts include parallels, autographs, and memorabilia of stars and prospects. Contenders delivers the final big rookie class of the year from Panini before the offseason.
In summary, 2022 was another massive year for baseball card releases. From flagship products to high-end parallels to retro designs, collectors had no shortage of exciting new cardboard hitting the market throughout the season. With the continued boom in popularity, 2023 is sure to bring even more new releases and bigger rookie classes to look out for. Baseball cards remain one of the strongest and most engaging hobbies for sports fans worldwide.
