The 2022 Major League Baseball season saw plenty of action both on and off the field. As the leagues heated up in the summer sun, collectors were eagerly awaiting the arrival of new baseball cards to commemorate the year. 2022 gave card companies no shortage of stories and performances to highlight.
Top rookies like Julio Rodríguez, Bobby Witt Jr., and Adley Rutschman made their MLB debuts to much fanfare. Entering the season, they were among the most highly anticipated rookie cards. Rodríguez in particular delivered one of the best rookie campaigns in recent memory, hitting 28 home runs for the Seattle Mariners while providing elite defense in center field. He took home the American League Rookie of the Year award. Witt and Rutschman also showed flashes of why they were such hyped prospects, though injuries limited their seasons somewhat. Their rookie cards remain highly sought after.
In another rookie class, Pittsburgh’s Oneil Cruz made a splash with his enormous strength and rocket throws from shortstop. At 6-foot-7, his unique combination of size and skills captivated fans and collectors alike. Cruz is poised to be one of the breakout young stars that helps energize the Pirates franchise in coming years. His rookie cards picked up steam as his talents were on full display in the second half once called up from Triple-A.
On the veteran side, several familiar faces served up memorable campaigns. Aaron Judge turned in one of the single greatest offensive seasons in baseball history, smashing an AL record 62 home runs for the New York Yankees. He also topped the league in runs, runs batted in, on-base percentage, and slugging. Judge’s dominance has made his 2022 cards the most in-demand modern issues on the hobby market. Many collectors rushed to pickup base rookies or parallels of the American League MVP front-runner
Another slugger, Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, put together arguably the best all-around year of his career at age 35. He led the NL in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging, the first Cardinal to accomplish the trifecta since 1942. Goldschmidt captured the NL MVP and CBM awards, cementing his status among the game’s recent elite. His accomplishment was a pleasant surprise and highlighted the cards of an underrated star enjoying a late career renaissance.
On the pitching side, a trio of aces stood out: Miami’s Sandy Alcantara, Houston’s Justin Verlander, and the Dodgers’ Tony Gonsolin. Alcantara notched a Major League-leading six complete games while leading the NL in innings and WHIP. Verlander returned from Tommy John surgery better than ever, winning 18 games with an AL-best 1.75 ERA at age 39. Gonsolin posted a 2.14 ERA over 30 starts, the lowest ERA among qualified NL starters while helping pitch the Dodgers to 111 wins. Each hurler was among the top candidates for Cy Young awards in their respective leagues.
Beyond the on-field achievements, the 2022 season saw several notable transactions and milestones that collectors followed closely. Shohei Ohtani agreed to a record-setting $30 million contract extension to stay in Anaheim, delighting Angels fans. The Cardinals locked up superstar Paul Goldschmidt through 2028. Albert Pujols launched his 700th career home run. Miguel Cabrera reached 3,000 career hits. The milestones served as a reminder of legends performing at the highest levels as Father Time eventually catches up to all.
For collectors, the cards highlighting these moments created immediate demand. Ripping packs and boxes was a fun way to try and land short printed parallels featuring the achievements. Cabrera and Pujols relic and autographed cards from their milestone seasons carried premium prices atop already illustrious careers. Meanwhile, the long-term deals inked by Ohtani and Goldschmidt signal their clubs’ commitments and raise expectations for sustained success, bolstering interest in investing relatively early in the duo.
Off the field, the excitement of new franchises also heated up the hobby. MLB officially welcomed the Oakland Athletics’ relocation to Las Vegas, debuting as the Nevada Black Knights in 2023. The addition of a new franchise in one of the nation’s top sports betting cities was a boon for collectors looking to get in early. Fanatics also unveiled plans for an MLB expansion team in Portland, Oregon set to begin play in 2026. The unveiling of team names, logos, and uniforms will be collector anticipation points to come. In the meantime, commemorative “Placeholders” cards began appearing as speculative investments ahead of the real franchise product debuts.
Perhaps most notably from a business perspective, Fanatics finalized an exclusive trading card deal with MLB, replacing industry giants Topps. The 10-year contract grants Fanatics rights to baseball, basketball and football starting in 2026/27. It represents the most massive shift in the sports card industry landscape in decades. In the short term, the pending changeovers led to a rush by collectors to acquire any remaining vintage and modern sets from the outgoing companies like Topps, Upper Deck and Donruss before they lose their licenses. Long term, it opens new possibilities for integrating digital technologies, augmented reality, and secondary market platforms into the traditional card collectible space.
All in all, 2022 may go down as a pivotal year that set the table for what’s to come across both the diamonds and in hobby shops. Between breakout stars, achievements immortalized in cardboard, league expansions, and the upcoming transition to Fanatics, there was no shortage of motivations for baseball card collectors eagerly awaiting the 2022 releases. The combination of on-field drama and off-field developments made for an environment primed to drive interest, speculation, and rapid roster changes in personal collections for years ahead. Judging by what transpired in 2022, it appears the golden age of baseball cards is still going strong.
