College baseball saw a revival in the trading card industry in 2022 as several major companies released sets featuring today’s top NCAA stars. Panini, Leaf, and Topps all had products hitting the market at various price points. As the NIL era allows student-athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness for the first time, trading cards provided an avenue for fans to collect their favorite players while also providing compensation to the players featured.
One of the biggest and highest profile releases was Panini’s 2022 Donruss College Baseball product. Sold in traditional wax packs, boxes, and cases, the Donruss set stood out for its flashy retro design aesthetic inspired by the classic 1980s and 90s Donruss basketball cards. A total of 396 cards made up the base set, broken into two series. Notable rookie cards included Oregon State pitcher Cooper Hjerpe, Tennessee third baseman Trey Lipscomb, and Miami catcher Adrian Del Castillo. Parallels and autograph/memorabilia inserts added to the excitement of the release.
The checklist was truly national in scope, featuring stars from every power conference and many smaller division one programs. Texas Tech shortstop Cal Conley and Notre Dame pitcher John Michael Bertrand were two of the most sought-after rookie autographs. Veteran college stars like Texas A&M pitcher Nathan Dettmer and Florida outfielder Jud Fabian also had their share of collectors chasing autographs and memorabilia cards. Overall, Panini Donruss College Baseball delivered outstanding production value and design for a general sports card release at a mid-range price point of around $100 per box.
At the higher end, Leaf College Baseball hit the market with two tiers – Leaf Metal and Leaf Collegiate. Metal carried an MSRP north of $500 per box but contained guaranteed autographs or memorabilia cards of the biggest names. Players like Tennessee’s Chase Burns, Florida State’s Parker Messick, and Texas’ Ivan Melendez saw their rookie autographs command big prices. The base Metal cards also featured intricate embossed designs that added to their appeal.
Leaf Collegiate offered a step down in terms of rarity and parallels at a lower box price around $150. Still, the production quality of these cards was excellent with crisp photographs and an understated design that allowed the players to shine. Rookie autographs of SEC stars like Georgia’s Jonathan Cannon and Kentucky’s Ryan Hagenow made for exciting pulls at the Collegiate level. Overall, Leaf catered their two tiers of release to the high-end collector market.
At a much more affordable price point for the average fan, Topps released two value-priced college baseball offerings – Topps Chrome and Topps Heritage. Topps Chrome carried on the retro style of its baseball card counterpart with refractors, color parallels, and photo variations highlighting each series. Future MLB draft picks like Oklahoma’s Peyton Graham and Miami’s Karson Ligon made their cardboard debuts. Boxes retailed around $50 and provided an accessible way for fans to collect today’s stars.
Topps Heritage College paid tribute to the classic design of 1970s Topps baseball cards in a 352-card base set released over two series. Rosters included division one standouts from coast to coast. Notable rookies included Texas Tech slugger Cole Stilwell, Vanderbilt pitcher Christian Little, and LSU outfielder Dylan Crews. While Heritage lacked autographs, the nostalgic design made it a fun rip for budget-minded collectors. Both Topps products captured the college game at an affordable price.
The release of these various college baseball card products in 2022 showed the growing potential for the student-athlete NIL market to intersect with the trading card industry. As more companies seek deals directly with athletes, sets will likely expand in the coming years to feature an even broader array of schools and players. For fans and collectors, it provides a fun new way to connect with their favorite college baseball stars both on and off the field. Whether value packs or high-end boxes, the 2022 season saw trading cards give a financial boost to athletes while fueling collector enthusiasm. As the NIL landscape continues to evolve, college sports cards appear poised to become an annual release.
