The 2023 Donruss baseball card set is one of the most anticipated releases of the new year. Donruss has a long history of producing high quality cards that resonate with collectors. While there are many exciting rookies and parallels to chase in the base set, some stand out as having strong potential to become extremely valuable in the long run. Let’s take an in-depth look at several of the 2023 Donruss cards collectors will want to watch.
One of the most sought after rookie cards in the 2023 Donruss set will undoubtedly be Julio Rodriguez. The Mariners center fielder had a phenomenal rookie season in 2022 that culminated in an AL Rookie of the Year award. Rodriguez hit 28 home runs and drove in 75 runs while batting .284. He established himself as a budding superstar and a key piece of the next great Mariners team. His rookie card prices have already started skyrocketing. In the 2023 Donruss set, collectors will be hunting his base rookie card and especially any rare parallels they can find. A Rodriguez auto or memorabilia card could appreciate into the thousands given his star power.
Another rookie generating huge excitement is Cardinals’ outfielder Jordan Walker. The 21-year-old slugger mashed in the minors in 2022 and looks poised to make an impact for St. Louis very soon. Walker has arguably the highest ceiling of any hitting prospect in baseball right now. While he may not debut until 2023, collectors are already speculating that his Donruss rookie could become one of the most valuable modern rookie cards in the set. Keep an eye out for low-numbered parallels and autographs of Walker, as those have the potential to gain substantially in value as his career progresses.
Two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani remains one of the biggest draws in baseball cards. His autographed and memorabilia cards from previous Donruss sets have exploded in secondary market prices. For the 2023 release, collectors will be on high alert for limited Ohtani cards that showcase his unique abilities. An autograph or patch card pulling double duty with his pitching and hitting stats could break the bank for serious Ohtani PC collectors. His base card also holds value as one of the must-have modern player cards.
Rookies aside, superfractor parallels have become hugely important in the secondary card market. The 2023 Donruss set is confirmed to once again include 1/1 superfractor parallels for star players. Pulling the elusive green superfractor of a player like Mike Trout, Aaron Judge, or Ronald Acuña Jr. would be the crown jewel of any collector’s collection. These ultra-rare parallel cards often sell for tens of thousands of dollars and continue increasing in secondary value over time. They are the true holy grails of each Donruss release.
Panini has also confirmed several exciting new insert sets for 2023 Donruss baseball. The “Donruss Origins” set focuses on the early career years of stars and could highlight rookie season stats. Autographs and memorabilia cards from this insert have strong potential. The “Donruss Masters” set celebrates the game’s all-time greats, so a rare parallel or auto from that of legends like Babe Ruth or Hank Aaron would carry immense prestige. New “Donruss Dominators” parallels also provide collectors a fun chase for star rookies and veterans.
With its history of producing valuable modern player cards and exciting new insert sets, the 2023 Donruss baseball release is primed to create numerous long-term collectibles. Rookies like Rodriguez and Walker, two-way force Ohtani, and elusive superfractors of top stars will likely emerge as the set’s most coveted cards. For serious collectors, hunting limited parallels and autographs from the base set, inserts, and short-printed parallels offers the best chances of discovering the valuable 2023 Donruss cards that could gain tremendously in the years to come. This set looks to provide a fun new chase and investment opportunities for all types of baseball card collectors.
