The 2020 baseball season was unlike any other due to the COVID-19 pandemic interrupting play for months. The hobby of collecting baseball cards remained strong as collectors looked for new ways to stay engaged with their favorite sport. While the season was shortened significantly, card manufacturers still produced an abundance of new baseball card releases throughout the year featuring the game’s biggest stars and top rookies. With so many great cards to choose from in 2020, narrowing down the best options was a difficult task. Here are some of the standout baseball cards released last year that any collector would love to add to their collection.
Perhaps the most coveted rookie card of 2020 was San Diego Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr.’s Topps Chrome Yellow Refractor parallel. Tatis had a breakout season in 2019 that positioned him as one of the brightest young stars in baseball. He continued that momentum in the shortened 2020 campaign by batting .277 with 17 home runs and 45 RBI in 59 games. Tatis’ electrifying play and flair for the dramatic quickly made him a fan favorite. His Chrome Yellow Refractor captured the excitement around his budding superstardom in a visually stunning parallel format. Only 10 of these rare yellow refractors were produced, making it extremely difficult to track down and highly valuable for Padres PC collectors.
Another highly sought-after rookie was Seattle Mariners outfielder Kyle Lewis. Lewis took home AL Rookie of the Year honors after batting .262 with 11 home runs in just 58 games. His prized rookie card was the Topps Chrome Sapphire Refractor parallel, which featured an eye-catching blue color and serial numbering of only 5 copies. Lewis burst onto the scene in 2020 and showed all the tools to be a future star in Seattle. The sapphire refractor captured that momentum perfectly in one of the rarest parallels of the year.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. continued building on his breakout 2019 campaign by emerging as the most feared hitter in the Blue Jays’ lineup in 2020. One of the best Guerrero cards released last year was his Topps Chrome Gold Refractor parallel, numbered to only 10 copies. Guerrero batted .262 with nine home runs and 33 RBI in 2020 while still being just 21 years old. His talent and pedigree as the son of a Hall of Famer made him one of the most intriguing young stars in baseball. The gold refractor highlighted that superstar potential in a rare and valuable parallel format.
Rookie sensation Ian Anderson made a major impact on the mound for the Atlanta Braves in 2020. Anderson went 3-2 with a 1.95 ERA and 49 strikeouts over 41.2 innings pitched, showing ace-caliber stuff from the right side. His prized rookie card was the Topps Chrome Sapphire Refractor, which joined Lewis as one of just five produced. Anderson played a pivotal role in the Braves’ run to the NLCS and looks poised for stardom for years to come in Atlanta. The sapphire refractor captured his early dominance on the game’s biggest stage.
While the 2020 season was short, rookie pitcher Dane Dunning made the most of his time by going 2-0 with a 3.97 ERA for the Chicago White Sox. One of the top Dunning cards was his Topps Chrome Yellow Refractor parallel, limited to a tiny run of only three copies. Dunning showed impressive control and stuff while helping push the White Sox to the playoffs. As with Tatis, the yellow refractor highlighted Dunning’s breakout potential in a rare parallel that will hold great value for years as his career progresses.
Veteran star Mookie Betts had a dominant first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers after being acquired in an offseason trade. Betts led the NL with a 1.092 OPS while batting .292 with 16 home runs in just 52 games. One of the best Betts cards from 2020 Topps Chrome was his Gold Refractor parallel, limited to only 10 copies worldwide. As one of the game’s premier five-tool talents, Betts shined under the LA spotlight. The gold refractor captured his superstar status on one of the hobby’s most popular modern products.
While rookie cards tend to get most of the hype, legendary veterans can also have hugely valuable modern issues. One such card was a Mike Trout Topps Chrome Yellow Refractor parallel from 2020, with an edition size of a minuscule three copies. Even in a shortened season disrupted by injury, Trout still showed why he’s a perennial MVP candidate by batting .281 with 10 home runs in just 37 games. As perhaps the greatest active player, any Trout parallel carries immense cache and this yellow refractor highlighted his continued greatness in one of the rarest forms.
Those were just some of the many outstanding baseball cards produced in 2020, a year that was unique but still found ways to excite collectors. While the season was shortened significantly due to the pandemic, the hobby remained as strong as ever. Top rookies like Tatis Jr., Lewis and Anderson emerged as future stars, while veterans like Betts, Guerrero and Trout continued their excellence on the field. Parallels like yellow, gold and sapphire refractors captured those storylines in some of the most visually stunning and rare formats available. Even in a turbulent year, the 2020 baseball card class featured several true gems that will hold their value for dedicated collectors for many years to come.
