The 2021 Prizm Baseball set was highly anticipated by collectors due to 2020 being a down year for the hobby and Prizm being one of the premier brands in the trading card industry. Panini released the 2021 Prizm Baseball set in October 2021 with parallels, short prints, autographs, and rookie cards of top prospects that made certain cards very desirable. Let’s take an in-depth look at some of the best 2021 Prizm Baseball cards to collect.
One of the most sought-after rookie cards in the 2021 Prizm Baseball set is Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco. Franco is considered a true five-tool player and phenom who many experts believe will become one of the faces of baseball. His prizm base rookie card can be found for around $30-40 raw but graded gem mint 10 copies have sold for over $500. Franco also has several valuable parallels like the Green /99, Orange /25, and 1/1 Black Prizm that command premium prices. Any Wander Franco card is a great long-term investment for collectors.
Another top rookie to target is Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez. While he missed time in 2021 due to injury, Rodriguez displayed five-tool talent when healthy and has a very high ceiling. His base prizm rookie card sells for around $15-20 raw but higher-end parallels like Green /99 and Orange /25 can fetch over $100 in gem mint condition. Rodriguez is expected to be a star for the Mariners and his cards hold great value.
Two other noteworthy rookies from the 2021 Prizm Baseball set are Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene and Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Nate Pearson. Greene was a top overall draft pick and has a smooth left-handed swing that is translating well so far in the minors. His base prizm rookie goes for around $10-15 but parallels are more scarce. Pearson has electrifying stuff but injuries have slowed his progress – if he can stay healthy his cards like the Green /99 parallel have breakout potential.
In terms of star veterans, any Mike Trout card is a solid investment but his 2021 Prizm base card sells in the $15-20 range. Higher-end parallels like the Green /99 and Orange /25 can fetch $50-100. Trout remains the best player in baseball when on the field and his brand is unmatched, making him a sound long-term collectible.
Another top veteran to consider is Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts. Betts is in his prime and helped lead LA to a World Series title in 2020. His base 2021 Prizm card sells for around $10-15 but parallels have more upside if Betts continues dominating. The Green /99 and Orange /25 parallels in particular hold nice value.
For star rookies, prospects, and veterans, short prints (SP) and autographs add tremendous value. The Wander Franco SP sells for $50-75 raw while his autographed cards fetch $300-500 depending on parallel. SPs of Rodriguez, Greene, Pearson and other top prospects also command a premium. Autographs of Trout, Betts and other stars can sell for hundreds to over $1000 for 1/1 variations. These rarer inserts make for great longshot speculations.
When collecting the 2021 Prizm Baseball set, the best cards to target are the rookies of Wander Franco, Julio Rodriguez, and Riley Greene. Mike Trout and Mookie Betts veteran base cards are also solid. But the highest upside lies in parallels, short prints, and autographs of top stars and prospects. With the hobby booming, graded gem mint 10 examples of the best 2021 Prizm rookies and parallels hold immense long-term value. This set provides several investment opportunities for savvy collectors.
