The hobby of collecting baseball cards is always evolving as new players emerge and card companies release new products. With the 2023 season approaching, here are some of the top baseball cards for collectors to target in the new year based on factors like star players, rookie prospects, insert sets, and parallels.
2022 Bowman Draft Baseball: The 2022 draft class featured several highly touted prospects like Druw Jones, Elijah Green, and Jackson Holliday. Their rookie cards from Bowman Draft are always hot commodities. Keep an eye out for parallels and autographs of the top picks that could gain value as they start their pro careers. The superfractors are especially rare and coveted.
Top Rookies from 2022: Last season saw the debuts of several future stars like Julio Rodriguez, Bobby Witt Jr., Spencer Strider, and Michael Harris II. Their flagship rookie cards from 2022 Topps, Bowman, Stadium Club, and Allen & Ginter will remain popular. Parallels, short prints, and autographs of these rookies could appreciate in value if they continue developing.
Shohei Ohtani: The two-way phenom had another MVP caliber year and is must-have for any collection. His flagship Topps cards along with rare parallels and autographs from 2022 releases will retain strong demand. Ohtani is one of the faces of the sport and likely to have lasting collectible value for years to come.
Rookies from 2023: The 2023 season is likely to feature the MLB debuts of several elite prospects headlined by Druw Jones, Jackson Holliday, Termarr Johnson and others. Their flagship rookie cards from 2023 Topps, Bowman, etc. are always good short and long term investments, especially for stars of the future. Keep an eye out for 1st bowman parallels and autographs too.
Mike Trout: Even a decade into his career, Trout remains the undisputed king of the hobby. His flagship Topps cards hold value extremely well and rare parallels can still fetch big money. With each passing season cementing his legend status, his collectibles from 2009 up to present day will remain must-owns.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr: After a monster 2022 season that saw him named AL MVP, Guerrero is cementing himself as a true superstar. His flagship Topps rookie from 2018 as well as inserts and parallels from recent years could see increased demand. With his best years likely still ahead, Guerrero collectibles are a sound long term investment.
Albert Pujols: 2022 was likely Pujols’ final season and he exited in incredible fashion, hitting his 700th career home run. His rookie cards from 2001 Topps have long been out of reach for most collectors but parallels and serial numbered inserts from recent years could gain nostalgia value as he retires. Any rare Pujols autographs would be a true prize for any collection.
Rookie Cup Parallels: The National Baseball Card Day and National Collector’s Month promotions by Topps always feature popular parallels centered around star players and top rookies. These limited parallels gain instant collector demand and hold value well long term. The Topps Fire, Topps Sapphire, and Topps Gold parallels especially are always hot ticket items.
Topps Update/Topps Finest: The flagship Update and Finest series are always anticipated late summer releases that feature players’ updated stats and photos from the current season. Top rookie cards, stars in new uniforms, and rare inserts are typical big hits. Autographs and 1/1 parallels found in Hobby Boxes of these sets can gain serious value with time.
Topps Chrome: As one of the premier refractor parallel releases, Topps Chrome rookie cards and stars are staple wants each year. The refractors hold their color and shine extremely well and gain demand. Rare serial numbered parallels like the Topps Chrome Sapphire can be true long term bluechips.
Topps Archives: The annual throwback set to classic Topps designs is a fun release for collectors. Superfractor parallels of legends paired with classic aesthetics make for instant collector favorites. Rarer serial numbered parallels hold strong long term appeal.
Topps Heritage: Paying tribute to the vintage look of the 1950s and 1960s, Topps Heritage is a collector favorite each year. The retro design on modern players is very appealing. Short prints, serial numbered parallels, and autographs of stars could gain value as years pass.
Bowman Sterling: As one of the high-end Bowman releases, Sterling is known for its autograph and memorabilia parallels on top prospects and stars. Rare 1/1 hits can gain serious collector value with time. The inserts and parallels featuring current and past stars are always popular.
Topps Transcendent: The ultra high-end limited release is the pinnacle of modern baseball cards. Incredibly rare 1/1 cards paired with game used memorabilia make each card truly one of a kind. Prices paid for Transcendent reflect their immense scarcity and collectible status.
While flagship rookie cards, stars of present and past, and parallels of elite prospects will likely remain the safest bets; it’s impossible to predict the next breakout star or which unheralded prospects might emerge as the future faces of the game. A balanced approach targeting the above mentioned releases is recommended to build a collection with short and long term potential in the year ahead. The baseball card market remains as unpredictable and exciting as America’s pastime itself.
