Topps Pro Debut is one of the most anticipated baseball card releases each year from Topps. The 2022 edition was no exception, as it provided collectors their first look at the newest crop of Major League rookies. Some of the top rookie cards in this year’s set included Julio Rodriguez, Bobby Witt Jr., Adley Rutschman, and Spencer Strider.
The 2022 Topps Pro Debut base set contains 150 cards, with each team represented by five players. The designs are clean and simple, featuring each player in their on-field uniform against a solid color background. The fronts showcase the player’s photo and team logo, along with their name and position. On the backs, you’ll find their basic stats and bio information. As with past years, parallels and inserts were included to add more variety.
Some of the parallels included in 2022 Topps Pro Debut were Gold Foil (#/2022), Rainbow Foil (#/150), and Red Foil (#/75). The Gold and Rainbow parallels featured the same design as the base cards but with foil stamping, while the Red Foils had a red border and numbering. Topps also included “Paper” parallels, which had a textured stock to replicate the feel of old-school cardboard packs. Numbered to /199, these provided a fun retro twist on the modern design.
When it comes to inserts, Topps loaded 2022 Pro Debut with several exciting short print chase cards. The biggest were clearly the three Autograph cards of Bobby Witt Jr., Julio Rodriguez, and Adley Rutschman. Numbered to only /25 copies each, these instantly became three of the most coveted rookie autographs of the year. Topps also included “Stars of Tomorrow” photo variations of the top prospects, “First Day Issue” parallel cards, and “Rookie Debut” autographs of additional players.
Of course, the biggest draws for collectors were the rookie cards of this year’s top prospects finally making their MLB debuts. Cards like Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals and Julio Rodriguez of the Seattle Mariners were at the top of want lists heading into release date. Witt had long been considered a future superstar and did not disappoint in his first season. Rodriguez also made a huge splash and was named AL Rookie of the Year.
Adley Rutschman’s rookie card as the #1 overall pick and top prospect in baseball was another major hit. Despite missing time due to injury, Rutschman established himself as the future cornerstone catcher for the Baltimore Orioles. Atlanta Braves pitcher Spencer Strider burst onto the scene and made his Pro Debut cards very desirable with his dominant rookie season. Other top rookies included Seattle’s George Kirby, Cincinnati’s Hunter Greene, and Detroit’s Riley Greene.
When 2022 Topps Pro Debut hit hobby stores and online retailers upon its August 12th on-sale date, it was met with immense enthusiasm and sellouts. The base cards flew off shelves as fans raced to complete their rookie collections as soon as possible. On the secondary market, the most coveted rookie cards and short prints skyrocketed in value. Within days, the Witt Jr., Rodriguez, and Rutschman autographs had all surpassed the $1000 price point raw.
Even base rookie cards appreciated quickly, with PSA 10 gems of Witt Jr. and Rodriguez topping $300 each. It’s clear that 2022 Topps Pro Debut captured lightning in a bottle by featuring such a stellar class of rookies. From a collector standpoint, it served as a fun way to invest in the future of these young stars. For players and their fans as well, seeing their favorite rookies immortalized in their first MLB card brought great joy and pride. Without question, 2022 Topps Pro Debut will go down as one of the most memorable and valuable releases in the long history of Topps baseball cards.
