Panini America has become one of the top sports card manufacturers in recent years thanks to their innovative designs and focus on emerging star players. While companies like Topps have dominated the baseball card market for decades, Panini has carved out their own niche with exciting products that attract collectors both young and old. In this article, we will take an in-depth look at some of the best Panini baseball cards to find in packs or on the secondary market.

We’ll start with one of Panini’s most popular and valuable modern rookie cards – Ronald Acuña Jr. Panini debuted Acuña in their 2018 Donruss baseball set during his breakout rookie season. The design features a clean white border surrounding Acuña’s photo on a solid color background. What makes this card so desirable is that Acuña immediately emerged as a superstar, winning the NL Rookie of the Year award that year and becoming one of the faces of the league. His raw talent and youthful exuberance captured the attention of both Braves fans and the wider baseball community. In PSA 10 gem mint condition, Acuña’s 2018 Donruss rookie card now sells for well over $1000. Even in lower grades, it remains one of the most sought-after modern rookie cards on the market.

Another stellar Panini rookie is Fernando Tatis Jr’s 2019 Donruss card. Like Acuña before him, Tatis burst onto the scene with the Padres in 2019 with his elite power, speed, and flair for the dramatic. He finished fourth in NL Rookie of the Year voting that year. Panini perfectly captured Tatis’ infectious smile and youthful exuberance on his rookie card, which features a simple photo over a solid color design. High grade Tatis rookies have exploded in value over the past year, with PSA 10s now reaching over $2000. Even in lower grades, this is a card that will hold value for years as Tatis continues cementing his status as a perennial All-Star.

For collectors wanting vintage stars rather than modern rookies, Panini offers an array of legendary players across different sets. One of the most iconic is the 1960 Topps style design from 2018 Donruss featuring Mickey Mantle. With its classic photo and simplistic white border, this card pays tribute to one of the all-time greats in an instantly recognizable design. Mantle is arguably the most popular player of the 1950s and 60s, making this a must-have card for any vintage baseball collector. PSA 10 examples can reach over $500 due to Mantle’s universal appeal.

Another stellar vintage Panini card captures another Yankees legend, this time from their 2018 Diamond Kings set. The Reggie Jackson “Mr. October” card features an action shot of Jackson in mid-swing along with his iconic nickname. Jackson’s legendary postseason heroics and home run prowess make him equally appealing to collectors both young and old. High grade examples regularly sell for $300-400 thanks to the nostalgia of the player and the premium Diamond Kings brand within Panini’s baseball lineup.

For collectors wanting a modern star power pitcher, few can top the appeal of Jacob deGrom’s cards. His 2018 Donruss design perfectly captures the intensity of the Mets’ ace with his windup. DeGrom has emerged as arguably the most dominant starter of the late 2010s, winning the NL Cy Young award in 2018 and 2019 while consistently posting the lowest ERAs in baseball. His cards remain hot commodities, with PSA 10 examples of this particular 2018 Donruss design selling for $150-200 due to his sustained excellence and star power.

Panini also offers exciting parallels and short prints beyond the base cards. One of the most coveted is Fernando Tatis Jr’s 2019 Diamond Kings Green parallel. Limited to only 25 copies, this hyper-rare parallel takes his already desirable base rookie card and makes it exponentially more valuable. Examples have sold for well over $10,000 when available due to the scarcity and prestige of the Diamond Kings brand. Even base Diamond Kings cards of stars like Acuña, deGrom, Soto and others command premium prices over their Donruss counterparts.

For team collectors, Panini delivers standout cards paying tribute to legendary franchises. Their 2018 Diamond Kings set includes stunning retro designs for the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. Featuring classic logos and color schemes immediately recognizable to any baseball fan, these parallel cards are instant classics. PSA 10 Red Sox and Yankees parallels regularly sell for $300-500 due to strong demand from collectors of those premier franchises.

In summary, Panini has established themselves as a premier maker of modern and vintage baseball cards thanks to iconic rookie cards of rising stars, tribute designs honoring legends of the past and present, and parallel cards combining scarcity with instantly recognizable brands. While the likes of Topps will always have mainstream recognition, Panini has carved out their own niche with innovative products that attract a passionate new generation of collectors. The cards highlighted here represent some of the best that Panini has to offer for players, teams, and designs likely to hold value for decades to come.