The 2022 Topps Update baseball card set was released in late September/early October and offered baseball fans an exciting new batch of rookie cards, autographs, and parallels to collect for the current MLB season. As with every year’s Topps Update release, it provided updated photos and stats for players from the regular Topps series as well as debuting the rookie cards of prospects who made their MLB debuts after the original series was produced. With a wide variety of highly sought-after rookie cards and unique parallels and autographs to find, the 2022 Topps Update set offered collectors plenty of exciting chase cards. Here’s a breakdown of some of the most desirable cards collectors were hoping to pull from packs and boxes of the 2022 Topps Update series.
Bobby Witt Jr. Base Rookie Card – The top rookie card in the set was that of Kansas City Royals star third baseman Bobby Witt Jr., who had one of the most impressive MLB debut seasons of any player in 2022. Witt Jr. established himself as a future superstar and his base rookie from Topps Update is one of the key cards for any baseball collector to own from the year. Expect this card to gain value as Witt Jr.’s career progresses.
Spencer Strider Base Rookie Card – Atlanta Braves flamethrower Spencer Strider exploded onto the scene in 2022 with his electric fastball and proved himself as a future ace. As a late bloomer who made his MLB debut after the original Topps series, his base rookie from Update is a must-have for Braves fans and collectors chasing the next big pitching star.
Oneil Cruz Base Rookie Card – Possessor of one of the longest wingspans ever seen on a baseball player, Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Oneil Cruz brought excitement with his prodigious power. He debuted in 2022 and his rookie card from Update was hotly pursued by collectors looking to get in early on the potential superstar.
Julio Rodriguez Base Rookie Card – Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez put himself in the Rookie of the Year conversation and seemed to come up with a clutch hit or home run every night. His base rookie was the most sought-after Seattle card in the set.
Adley Rutschman Base Rookie Card – As the top catching prospect in baseball for years, Adley Rutschman’s long-awaited MLB debut with the Orioles was one of 2022’s biggest storylines. Collectors were itching to add his rookie card to their collections.
Nolan Gorman Base Rookie Card – Cardinals slugging prospect Nolan Gorman showed prodigious power in his debut season and immediately became a fan favorite in St. Louis. His base rookie was a must-have for Redbirds collectors.
Jack Leiter Base Rookie Card – Rangers pitching prospect Jack Leiter, son of former MLB hurler Al Leiter, was one of the prizes of the 2021 MLB draft class. His debut in 2022 made his Topps Update base rookie a hot ticket.
Seiya Suzuki Base Rookie Card – Japanese superstar Seiya Suzuki brought his five-tool talents to Wrigley Field as the Cubs’ big free agent signing. His first Topps card in the Update set was a highly sought piece.
Eury Perez Base Rookie Card – Marlins prospect Eury Perez was one of the biggest risers of 2022 who debuted and showed potential star quality. His rookie card found its way into many collector’s want lists.
Emmanuel Rodriguez Base Rookie Card – Highly-touted Giants pitching prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez made his MLB debut and Topps Update contained collectors’ first chance to add his rookie card.
Beyond the base rookies, Topps Update also featured a variety of popular parallels and autograph/memorabilia cards that added to the excitement. The Gold Foil parallels, numbered to only 50 copies each, were some of the most valuable pulls possible. Top young stars like Witt Jr., Rodriguez, and Strider had coveted Gold parallels that could fetch hundreds of dollars on the resale market.
For autographed cards, Topps Update included prized “Autograph” parallels signed by some of the set’s top rookies. Landing a signed Witt Jr., Rodriguez, or Rutschman card guaranteed enormous value and collector demand. Topps also featured “Logo Swatch” cards with uniform material attached and autographed by stars, both veterans and rookies.
In terms of veteran stars, Topps Update as always provided collectors chances to find updated cards showing great performances from 2022. Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, and other top performers had hot “Update” cards reflecting huge seasons. Parallels and autographed versions of star cards like these were also highly sought.
The 2022 Topps Update baseball card set lived up to its hype by delivering a loaded rookie class along with a fun assortment of parallels, autographs, and memorabilia cards. With exciting young talents like Witt Jr., Rodriguez, and Rutschman leading the way, Topps Update offered new cards that are sure to gain value as these players’ careers progress. It proved again to be one of the year’s most anticipated releases and an essential set for any baseball card collector.
