The 2022 Topps baseball card release was another highly anticipated set from the leading brand in the industry. With a wide variety of products at various price points, Topps delivered cards that would appeal to collectors both young and old. Let’s take an in-depth look at some of the standout rookie and veteran cards from 2022 Topps that are likely to be highly sought after by collectors in the coming years.
One of the biggest storylines of the 2022 season was the emergence of Seattle Mariners rookie Julio Rodriguez. Considered a future superstar, Rodriguez had a phenomenal debut campaign that saw him selected to the All-Star team. Not surprisingly, his rookie cards from 2022 Topps are among the most coveted. The base Topps Chrome Refractor rookie /299 is a nice color parallel, but collectors are really chasing the 1-of-1 Topps Chrome Gold Refractor auto. With Rodriguez likely to be in the AL MVP conversation for years, any of his rookie cards could prove to be strong long-term investments.
Another rookie who had a huge impact was Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena. Filling in for the injured Carlos Correa, Pena helped lead the Astros to a World Series title while taking home ALCS and World Series MVP honors. The crown jewel of his 2022 Topps rookie cards is the Gold Label Auto /10, which features his autograph on the textured gold label stock. With a championship already on his resume so early in his career, Pena looks primed to be an elite player for years to come.
For veteran superstars, the Topps Chrome Refractor parallel remains one of the most coveted modern card designs. In 2022, the /299 refractor of reigning NL MVP Bryce Harper looks poised to retain value as the Phillies slugger continues his Hall of Fame caliber career. The same can be said for Mike Trout’s Topps Chrome Refractor, which never seems to lose luster as the game’s best player. The parallel refractor designs in Topps Chrome are always in high demand.
Topps Finest took on greater significance in 2022 with the introduction of dual autographs and memorabilia cards. The dual auto of Shohei Ohtani / Mike Trout /25 is about as rare and iconic a card as you’ll find. Meanwhile, the Ronald Acuna Jr. On-Card Auto Patch /10 perfectly blends a huge star with a gorgeous swatch of memorabilia. For high-end collectors, Topps Finest delivered some true one-of-a-kind treasures.
Of course, no discussion of the year’s best cards is complete without mentioning the rookies of super prospects like Bobby Witt Jr, Adley Rutschman and Spencer Torkelson. While their seasons were cut short by injuries or time in the minors, the promise and potential of these young talents was evident. Base rookies may not carry huge price tags yet, but collectors would be wise to stock up while the cost is relatively low before they become stars.
The flagship Topps base set also featured some highly coveted veteran and star rookie parallels. The prized 1-of-1 Rainbow Foil Variations brought truly exclusive versions of cards like Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto and Torkelson. Meanwhile, the Gold /2021 parallels paid homage to players’ career stats in a beautiful refracted foil. For set builders and team collectors, finding these tough pulls was a real thrill.
In the end, 2022 was another banner year for Topps as the brand that defines the modern baseball card era. With so many rookies destined for stardom and current stars like Ohtani taking the game to new heights, their cards are sure to retain strong collector interest and value. Savvy investors would do well to consider adding some of these standouts from the 2022 Topps release to their long-term portfolios.
