The 2021 baseball card season was highly anticipated after the explosion of interest in the hobby during the pandemic in 2020. Whether you’re a seasoned collector or just getting into cards, here are some of the top rookies, parallels, and special inserts to be on the lookout for from the 2021 season.
One of the biggest rookie classes ever featured future stars like Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr., and Juan Soto who all had monster campaigns in 2021 and increased demand for their cards. Arguably the most coveted rookie card this year was Los Angeles Angels phenom Shohei Ohtani. After returning from injury to become the first player since Babe Ruth to star as both a pitcher and hitter, Ohtani’s 2021 Topps Chrome Update Superfractors #US200 and Bowman Chrome 1st refractors are selling for thousands.
Another highly sought after rookie is Seattle Mariners outfielder and AL Rookie of the Year finalist Julio Rodriguez. His Topps Chrome Update refractor parallel #US200 and varied color refractors are gaining value as scouts praise his all-around skills. Fellow top prospects like Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene and Toronto Blue Jays catcher Gabriel Moreno could also break out in 2022 and increase demand for their rookie cards.
Veteran stars like Fernando Tatis Jr. also saw heightened interest after monster years. Tatis’ Topps Update #US200 parallel is one of the most expensive modern cards on the PSA 10 market. The “King of Cards” himself, Mike Trout, has some highly coveted parallels in 2021 Topps like the /23 Green parallel and /5 Orange parallel. Other popular vets include Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto, Ronald Acuña Jr., and Mookie Betts whose /5 Green Parallel is highly sought after.
Bowman Chrome featured the top international prospects in 2021 with Dominican shortstop Cristhian Vaquero and Venezuelan outfielder Carlos Colmenares leading the class. Cards to watch for include Vaquero’s base 1st Bowman Chrome refractor or Colmenarez’s 1st Chrome refractor auto parallel /499. These prospects could rise fast if they sign big deals or have breakout debut seasons in 2022-23.
Some of the most exciting parallels in 2021 Topps Heritage were for Shohei Ohtani ($1 red parallel /25) and Juan Soto ($250 gold parallel /50) which are two of the hardest Heritage inserts to acquire raw, let alone graded. Topps Finest is also known for spectacular refractors and parallels including cards like Acuna’s Downtown and Trout’s Atomic Refractor parallel /50. For vintage design lovers,Topps Gallery featured photographic renditions of today’s stars. Trout and Soto Gallery rookie cards are highly sought after.
2021 Topps Update introduced the incredible Downtown and Superfractor parallel insert sets. Flagship rookie Superfractors for guys like Vaughn, Rodriguez, Bobby Witt Jr. and Greene can fetch thousands if they blossom into stars. Trout’s /75 Downtown parallel is among the rarest and most beautiful modern chase cards.
Topps Finest featured Atomic Refractor parallels for stars like deGrom, Betts and Tatis /50 which have eye-popping colors and details. Heritage Minors legends cards of Ken Griffey Jr., Cal Ripken Jr. and Eddie Mathews are tough pulls raw and are increasingly valuable over time. Series 2 also introduced the 75 Years of Greatness insert set featuring guys like iconic rookies of Mantle, Mays, Killebrew and McCovey which are popular chase cards. And let’s not forget base cards – a PSA 10 Tatis Update rookie could be worth 5 figures someday!
Panini had fierce competition from Topps in 2021 between their Prizm, Flux, and Immaculate releases going head to head with Topps Flagship, Heritage, Finest and Update. Prizm rookies remain highly sought after for prospects like Greene, Witt Jr., and Moreno though they come at a premium cost raw. Flux featured swatch and auto parallels like Vlad Jr.’s dual patch /10. Immaculate provided ultra-high end hits including 1/1 Trout booklet autos that sell for tens of thousands.
With the intense hype and competition between card companies, prices are higher than ever but so is the opportunity cost of not acquiring cards of emerging stars before they become household names. With the tremendous rookie class and veteran superstars having career seasons, 2021 had no shortage of cards that will shape the collecting landscape for years to come. For collectors just starting out or veterans looking to add to their PC’s, studying the top 2021 rookies, parallels and inserts is key to making savvy acquisitions with long term investment potential as the industry continues booming.
