The 2000 Upper Deck baseball card set was one of the most highly anticipated releases of the year as collectors and fans looked forward to seeing which rookie sensations would be featured in the set after their breakthrough performances in the 1999 season. While it lacked some of the superstar rookie talents of sets past like the Griffey Jr. rookie in 1989 Upper Deck or the Jeter/Cabrera rookie duo in 1993, the 2000 Upper Deck set offered collectors a deep dive into that year’s baseball action along with several promising young players who were on the cusp of stardom.

Released in March 2000 just before the start of the new MLB season, the 2000 Upper Deck set featured 528 total cards with veterans, current MLB action shots, talented rookies, and prime numbered parallel inserts. While lacking some true iconic rookie cards compared to past years, the 2000 Upper Deck set is highly sought after by collectors today for its snapshot of that baseball year along with several stars who were just starting to emerge. Some of the top rookies and notable cards from the 2000 Upper Deck baseball set include:

Derek Jeter (#246): While not officially a rookie card since Jeter debuted in 1995, this was Jeter’s first card in the prestigious Upper Deck set as one of the game’s brightest young stars and emerging team leaders for the Yankees. Highly popular at the time.

Gary Sheffield (#324): Another Yankee star, Sheffield had already established himself as an offensive force but this was amongst his earliest Upper Deck cards before joining New York.

Josh Beckett (#447): One of the set’s true rookie cards, Beckett went on to have a very solid career as a frontline starter for the Marlins and Red Sox, winning a World Series with each. His rookie card remains one of the more desirable from the set.

Jason Giambi (#141): While not officially a rookie since he debuted in 1995, Giambi was coming off a monster 1999 season that saw him win the MVP award and this served as one of his early star Upper Deck RCs before joining the Yankees.

Erik Bedard (#469): A lesser known rookie at the time, Bedard went on to have a solid career as a reliable mid-rotation starter for several playoff contenders like the Mariners and Red Sox. He flashed some ace potential early on.

Randy Johnson (#3): “The Big Unit” was in his age 36 season but still putting up Cy Young caliber numbers for the Diamondbacks. This marked one of his early starring cards in Upper Deck as he cruised towards the Hall of Fame.

Ken Griffey Jr. (#24): Already an icon, Griffey remained hugely popular and this served as one of his early starring cards for the Reds before further injuries derailed his career. Still one of the set’s most sought after regular cards.

In addition to quality veteran and rookie talent, the 2000 Upper Deck baseball set is also notable for several serially numbered parallel insert sets that added to the excitement of each pack. The popular “Kings Court” parallel insert set featured some of the game’s brightest young stars on short printed parallel versions of their base cards in various serial number increments like /2000, /500, /250. Players like Jeter, A-Rod, Ichiro, and Pujols all had desirable Kings Court parallel inserts that collectors eagerly searched packs for.

The flashy “Diamond Tributes” parallel insert set paid homage to baseball legends by pairing their pictures alongside some of the modern day young stars who were poised to carry the mantle. Parallels in the /75, /49, /15 increments highlighted the lineage between stars like Mickey Mantle/Derek Jeter, Willie Mays/Barry Bonds, and Hank Aaron/Andruw Jones. The premium parallel inserts increased interest in each box as collectors aimed to pull the 1/1 versions.

While lacking a true definitive iconic rookie card compared to past years, the 2000 Upper Deck baseball set remains one of the more complete snapshots from that season. It featured emerging talents like Beckett, Bedard, and Giambi in their early pro cards while also including serially numbered inserts and star veterans. Even without true legends, it presented a solid all-around collection that has grown in popularity amongst collectors looking to build their 1990s and 2000s baseball collections two decades later. The 2000 Upper Deck release kicked off what would be another strong year for the hobby.