The 2023 Topps baseball card release is one of the most anticipated issues in recent memory. With rookies like Julio Rodriguez, Bobby Witt Jr., and Adley Rutschman hitting the big leagues in 2022 and establishing themselves as future stars, collectors are eager to get their hands on cards from Topps’ flagship baseball release.

After a few years of focusing more on inserts and parallels, Topps returned to a design similar to years past for their 2023 offering. The classic white border remains, along with team logos across the bottom. Photographs are high quality as always. For collectors, this means the 2023 Topps set has that retro Topps look while still feeling fresh.

Some of the top rookie and star cards to look for in the 2023 Topps base set include:

Julio Rodriguez (#171) – The AL Rookie of the Year had a monster season for the Mariners and is already one of baseball’s brightest young stars. His base card will be hot.

Bobby Witt Jr. (#201) – Witt made history by becoming the first overall pick ever from the Royals and showed in 2022 why he’s such a special talent. Another must-have rookie card.

Adley Rutschman (#231) – After years of hype, Rutschman debuted for the Orioles and looks like a future All-Star catcher. He’s already developed a strong following.

Ronald Acuña Jr. (#41) – The Braves’ superstar was working his way back from a torn ACL in 2022 but remains one of the most exciting players in the game when healthy.

Shohei Ohtani (#161) – There may never be another two-way player like Ohtani, who continues to amaze on the mound and at the plate. A true one-of-a-kind card.

Juan Soto (#51) – At just 24, Soto has already established himself as a generational talent and his first year in Washington will be a storyline to watch.

Gerrit Cole (#11) – The Yankees’ ace is always among the league leaders in strikeouts and one of the faces of the game.

Mike Trout (#27) – Arguably the best player of this generation, Trout’s cards hold value like few others. Even in his base set card.

While the base set rookies and stars will be chase cards, Topps also delivers plenty of exciting inserts and parallels to keep collectors entertained. Here are some of the top additional products to seek out within the 2023 Topps release:

Topps Chrome – The refractors and color parallels make Chrome one of the most coveted modern issues. Green parallels number to /99 and yellows to /150.

Topps Finest – Using ultra-high end photography, Finest captures the players in elegant style. Parallels include pink, purple, and orange.

Topps Transcendent Collection – Extremely rare 1/1 cards fashioned from metal plates engraved with the players’ images. True holy grails.

Topps Inception – A mix of retro and modern design with several parallel colors including black, gold, and auto parallels.

Topps Holiday Snow – Festive snow-covered parallels available in blue snow, red snow, and green snow. Numbered to /50 each.

Topps Opening Day – Kicks off the season with photo variations and green parallel autos to /99.

Topps Gallery of Heroes – Highlighting baseball’s icons with embossed foil treatment on a retro design.

Topps Archives – Pays tribute to the look of vintage Topps with today’s players on a retro grid design.

Topps Update Series – Released midway through the season to include players who debuted after the initial release.

While it remains to be seen how rookies like Rodriguez, Witt, and Rutschman develop further in 2023 and beyond, collectors are almost certain these players’ rookie cards from Topps’ flagship issue will become highly valuable in the long run. With exciting young stars and familiar classic design elements, the 2023 Topps baseball release looks to be one of the most collectible in recent years.