Major League Baseball players are starting to get ready for another season, and collectors are eagerly anticipating the new crop of baseball cards that will be released in 2023. As the new season approaches, vendors and manufacturers are already making plans for next year’s baseball card releases.
2023 looks to be another big year for MLB card releases, with Topps, Upper Deck, Panini, and other companies expected to launch a wide array of new baseball card products. Some of the most anticipated rookies that will likely receive extra attention from collectors include Druw Jones (son of Andruw Jones), Elijah Green, Jackson Holliday and Termarr Johnson. Veterans like Shohei Ohtani, Mike Trout and Ronald Acuña Jr. will continue to be highly sought after.
Topps will surely remain the 800-pound gorilla in the baseball card industry next year. Some of Topps’ big 2023 releases expected to attract collector interest include Series 1, Series 2, Allen & Ginter, Topps Heritage, Stadium Club and Topps Chrome. Topps Update Series has also grown into one of the must-have issues of each season for many collectors looking to grab rookies and stars from the second half of the MLB campaign. Topps has also sought in recent years to promote collaboration sets pairing baseball cards with other cultural icons.
Upper Deck also figures to stay aggressive releasing MLB card products in 2023 after launching various sets this past season. Upper Deck has sought in recent years to add flair to its baseball releases with innovations like dual autographs, serially numbered parallels and memorabilia cards. Products like Revolution, Artifacts, Trilogy and Ultimate Collection are typically amongst Upper Deck’s most hyped baseball offerings. Upper Deck also looks to capture collectors’ attention next season through special parallels, short prints and unique memorabilia cards of superstar players.
Panini has further cemented itself as a major baseball card company in recent seasons and can also be expected to release a wide array in 2023. Donruss Baseball, Prizm Baseball and Contenders Baseball are well established in the Panini lineup now. Like its competitors, Panini capitalizes on the hottest young prospects, seek autographed and memorabilia rookie cards and pair baseball with other sports through multi-sport patch inserts. Panini also offers more affordable blaster and hobby box options than Topps or Upper Deck for collectors on a budget.
More niche or independent options are also likely to debut new baseball releases for 2023. Companies like Leaf, Bowman, Gint-A-Cuffs, SAGE Hit and Museum Collection are trusted brands that typically cater to certain collector demographics or integrate unique insert sets, parallels and concepts into each new issue. Much anticipated brands could include Topps Chrome Update baseball packs which offer a chance at capturing the most sought-after rookies down the stretch of the MLB season with an eye-catching chrome design. Holiday sets from brands like Topps, Panini, and Upper Deck that release around Christmas are also popular amongst collectors.
Through specialty inserts, parallel and autograph/memorabilia cards focusing on today’s brightest young MLB stars, 2023 issues from all companies in the baseball card space should continue driving collector demand. Promoting the careers of recent call-ups like the class of 2022 rookies as well as veterans staying hot will be crucial for card manufacturers to sell new releases. Limited print runs, low serial numbers and sharp visual designs paired with today’s elite performers remain tied to the fluctuating values collectors place on single baseball cards or complete sets from each coming season. New online case break models have also further fueled collector interest, especially for higher-end brands.
As in recent years, the continued demand for baseball cards in general should support another robust year industry-wide in 2023 if MLB and the players can keep excitement levels up on the field as well. But card companies will still need to innovate by integrating novel parallel concepts or adding unique chase cards to entice today’s collectors. More affordable blaster and hobby boxes alongside high-end autographed memorabilia focused releases seem to resonate best currently. Overall, MLB’s growing popularity combined with ever-evolving card releases should maintain steady collector enthusiasm going forward into the next baseball season and beyond.
