The 2015 Topps baseball card series was another highly anticipated release from the flagship baseball card company. With photography and designs that captured the essence of the 2014 MLB season, the 2015 Topps set featured cards of the game’s biggest stars and most promising rookies. While every year brings new exciting rookie cards and short prints to chase, here are some of the standout cards from the 2015 Topps baseball release that collectors enjoyed hunting for.
One of the most sought after rookie cards in the 2015 Topps set was that of Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager. Seager had a breakout 2014 season, hitting .337 with 12 home runs and 41 RBI in just 184 at-bats at the Double-A and Triple-A levels. He was considered one of the top prospects in baseball and was poised to make his MLB debut in 2015. The photo on Seager’s card shows his smooth left-handed swing in action. With his five-tool talent and pedigree as a first round draft pick, Seager’s rookie was highly coveted by collectors. His card would prove to be a wise long term investment as Seager went on to win 2016 NL Rookie of the Year honors.
Another rookie card that caught the attention of collectors was that of Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant. Like Seager, Bryant had an outstanding 2014 minor league campaign, hitting .321 with 43 home runs and 110 RBI combined at Double-A and Triple-A. He was named Minor League Player of the Year and was considered one of the top prospects in baseball. Bryant’s smooth lefty swing is captured on his rookie card along with his confident batter’s box presence. Bryant would go on to win 2015 NL Rookie of the Year and help lead the Cubs to their first World Series title in over 100 years, making his card an iconic piece of baseball history.
Mike Trout had established himself as the best player in baseball by 2015, and collectors loved the photo and design of his base card in the flagship Topps set. The card shows Trout unleashing his powerful right-handed swing in mid-motion, with his sculpted muscles and intense focus on full display. As the reigning two-time AL MVP, Trout was the most coveted star card in the set. His on-field dominance and young age ensured his Topps cards would remain a staple in collections for years to come. Even Trout’s common base card holds value due to his status as one of the greats of the modern game.
Clayton Kershaw had cemented his status as the best pitcher in baseball by 2015 with two Cy Young Awards already on his mantle. Topps commemorated Kershaw’s greatness with a card featuring him mid-windup, his left arm cocked high and tight as his body contorts into his powerful delivery. Kershaw’s intense focus and muscular physique are on full display. As one of the faces of the MLB flagship set for years, Kershaw’s cards are must-haves for any collection. This powerful action shot captured the essence of what made Kershaw the most feared pitcher of his generation.
While star cards are always popular, collectors also loved chasing after elusive short prints and parallel cards in the 2015 Topps series. The most coveted were the 1-of-1 card variations, with their serial numbers adding immense rarity and value. These included printing plates, where the blank card stock used to create the printing plates is autographed, and sticker autographs, which are stickers with serial numbering affixed to a standard base card. The autographs could feature any player in the set, from stars to prospects, making each 1-of-1 card a true one-of-a-kind treasure.
Additional popular parallels included the popular Topps Chrome refractors, which feature a colored refractory coating to make the image shimmer under light. The most sought after were the red and blue refractor parallel cards numbered to only 50 or 25 copies respectively. Other limited parallels included the Gold parallels numbered to only 10 copies, adding immense scarcity. Rainbow foil signature cards featuring autographed player photos on card stock with a rainbow-like foil pattern were also hotly pursued.
While every card in the flagship Topps set held value due to the brand’s prestige, collectors especially loved the unique photo and action shots featured on short print and parallel cards. These included behind-the-scenes Spring Training shots, action images from key at-bats or defensive plays, and artistic close-up headshots. The varied imagery beyond the standard posed photography made these harder-to-find cards real showstoppers and conversation pieces in any collection.
Whether collecting stars, rookies, short prints, or parallel cards, the 2015 Topps baseball release had something to excite fans and fuel the chase. Strong rookie classes, iconic star cards of the game’s best, and a variety of elusive parallel cards made it one of the most popular and collectible Topps series in recent memory. Cards from this classic set featuring key players from the 2014 and 2015 seasons remain staples in collections today due to their iconic photography, memorable moments captured, and representation of a special time in baseball history.
