Baseball Card Companies Preparing for New Releases in 2023
The baseball card industry is gearing up for what many insiders believe will be another strong year of sales and collector interest. With the 2022 season now in the books and awards being handed out, the major card manufacturers are putting the finishing touches on their 2023 baseball card releases.
Topps, Panini, Leaf, and others have been teasing collectors on social media about some of the exciting sets that will be hitting store shelves starting in January. With a new crop of rookies making their mark in the big leagues and star players changing teams via free agency, there is plenty of fresh content to feature. Here’s a look at some of the notable baseball card releases that collectors can expect to see over the coming months.
2023 Topps Series 1: As the longest-running and most iconic brand in the hobby, Topps Series 1 is always one of the most anticipated releases each year. The full checklist has not been revealed, but Topps has shared images of some of the new rookie cards that will be in the set like Oneil Cruz, Bobby Witt Jr., and Adley Rutschman. The base design has a clean, classic look featuring action shots of the players. Hobby boxes of Series 1 are expected to hit stores in late January/early February.
2023 Topps Chrome: Topps Chrome parallels the base Series 1 set but with a photo-variant refractor design on the cards. Chrome is highly sought after by collectors due to its shiny, eye-catching presentation. Topps has shown a sneak peek of rookie refractor cards for some of the top rookies from 2022 like Spencer Strider and Julio Rodriguez. Hobby boxes will be available shortly after Series 1 in February/March.
2023 Topps Heritage: Topps Heritage pays homage to the vintage designs of the 1950s and 1960s with a retro-styled checklist and card art. The set is expected to feature stars like Shohei Ohtani, Ronald Acuña Jr., and Aaron Judge. Heritage will also have prized rookie cards for players who made their MLB debuts in 2022. Look for the set to arrive in hobby stores in March/April.
2023 Topps Transcendent Collection: This high-end offering from Topps features extremely short prints of the game’s biggest stars encased in acrylic. Past Transcendent cards have showcased Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, and others. While full details are not public yet, Topps is teasing “game-used” memorabilia cards and 1-of-1 rarities. The ultra-premium Transcendent Collection boxes usually sell for thousands and will be available in April.
2023 Panini Prizm: As Topps’ chief competitor, Panini also has some exciting baseball releases on the docket. Prizm is their flagship brand known for “prismatic” parallels and colorful refractors. Rookie prizm cards of 2022 standouts like Julio Rodriguez and Bobby Witt Jr. are sure to be hot commodities. Look for Prizm to be released in March/April along with parallels like Prizm Black and Prizm Gold.
2023 Panini Contenders: Panini’s Contenders set focuses on capturing the biggest moments and performances from the previous MLB season. The checklist will feature the league leaders and award winners from 2022 like Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, and Justin Verlander. Rare 1-of-1 Contenders cards cut from game-worn memorabilia also create a buzz. Expect Contenders boxes in April/May after the new season begins.
2023 Leaf Metal Universe: Leaf’s retro-styled Metal Universe set is a fan favorite known for its high-gloss foil cards and throwback design aesthetic. Past checklists have included emerging talents as well as veterans. While player images have not leaked yet, Metal Universe will likely arrive in late spring providing another affordable option for collectors.
2023 Bowman Draft: The annual Bowman Draft set is all about highlighting the top amateur players selected in that year’s MLB June amateur draft. Past Draft classes have included superstars like Wander Franco, Adley Rutschman, and Bobby Witt Jr. in their early career uniforms. Bowman Draft boxes usually hit the market in June/July after the draft concludes.
Those are just some of the major baseball card releases that companies have teased or provided details about for 2023 so far. As always, there will surely be surprise inserts, parallels and short prints mixed in along with the base rookies and stars. With the continued boom in popularity of the hobby, these new sets are sure to be hotly anticipated and quickly snatched up by the collecting community. 2023 is shaping up to be another exciting year to be a baseball card fan.
