Baseball Card Release Dates in 2023
As baseball fans eagerly await the start of the 2023 MLB season, card collectors are also keeping an eye out for the numerous baseball card release dates scheduled throughout the upcoming year. 2023 promises to be another huge year for the hobby, with all of the major card companies unveiling new baseball card products on a regular basis from January all the way through December. Whether you primarily collect modern cards, vintage wax, or anything in between, there will be plenty of exciting new releases to choose from. Here’s a comprehensive overview of the major baseball card release dates collectors can expect to see in 2023.
January/February 2023 – Early Year Releases
Panini Prizm Baseball (January 18th) – One of the premier modern baseball card brands kicks things off with its annual Prizm release. This will feature rookie cards of top 2023 draft prospects as well as stars from the 2022 season.
Topps Series 1 (Late February) – As always, Topps Series 1 will be one of the first mainstream releases of the new year. Look for rookie cards of players who made their MLB debuts in 2022 mixed in with veterans. The design tends to be a bit simpler compared to later Series releases.
Leaf Baseball (February) – Leaf will launch its first baseball card product of 2023, usually featuring a retro-style design and prospects from the most recent draft class.
March/April 2023 – Pre-Season Hype Builds
Bowman Baseball (Early March) – Topps’ Bowman brand focuses on prospects and international signees. This will include the first cards featuring players drafted in the 2023 MLB Draft.
Topps Heritage (Mid-March) – A retro-styled set paying homage to classic designs from the 1950s-1980s. Authentic reproductions are a big draw for collectors.
Topps Series 2 (Late March/Early April) – Kicking off the regular season wave of releases. More rookie cards and new photos of established veterans are the highlights.
Panini Contenders Baseball (April) – An insert-heavy product focused on parallels, autographs and memorabilia cards of star players.
May/June 2023 – Midseason Check-Ins
Topps Series 1 High Tek (May) – A parallel version of Series 1 with a futuristic holographic design. Limited print runs add to the excitement.
Topps Chrome (Early June) – Considered the “flagship” modern release each year. Rookies and refractors are plentiful in this popular set.
Topps Allen & Ginter (Mid-June) – A fun, unique set featuring players alongside non-sports subjects in a vintage tobacco card style. Hits like autographs and rare parallels are chase cards.
July/August 2023 – Heating Up for the Home Stretch
Topps Series 2 High Tek (July) – The parallel version of Series 2 with the same holographic treatment as Series 1 High Tek.
Panini Spectra Baseball (Early August) – High-end release known for its use of rare materials like gold, silver, and diamond-studded parallels.
Topps Archives (Mid-August) – A trip down memory lane with authentic reproductions of designs from the 1960s-1980s Topps era.
September/October 2023 – Postseason Fever
Topps Finest (Early September) – Sharp photos and refractors are this set’s calling cards. A solid preview of the upcoming postseason.
Topps Update Series (Mid-September) – The “update” portion of the flagship Topps Series, with rookie cards of midseason call-ups.
Topps Chrome Update (Late September) – The updated version of Topps Chrome, also debuting any new rookies from after the first Chrome release.
Topps Transcendent Collection (October) – Ultra-high-end release using rare materials and low print runs. Huge hits are the primary chase.
November/December 2023 – Wrapping Up the Year
Topps Holiday Gift Packs (November) – Fun themed packs and boxes focusing on the upcoming holiday season.
Topps Series 1/2 2024 Previews (Late November/December) – Sneak previews of the designs and some players/rookies from the upcoming flagship Series releases in early 2024.
Topps Archives Snapshots (December) – A retro-styled set similar to Archives but with a snapshot photo theme.
As always, there may be some additional unannounced releases sprinkled in throughout the year from Topps, Panini, Leaf and other companies. But this overview provides the major baseball card release dates collectors can circle on their calendars as they look forward to another exciting year in the hobby during 2023. With so many great new products coming out on a regular basis, it will definitely keep both modern and vintage collectors very busy and happy.
