Donruss has been producing baseball cards since 1981 and each year they release new sets that are highly anticipated by collectors. The 2022 Donruss baseball card set saw another increase in popularity and many of the rookie cards and star players have already seen significant value gains in the months since the product released. Let’s take a closer look at some of the top cards from the 2022 Donruss set and analyze their current values.
The biggest star and most valuable card from the 2022 Donruss set is the Aaron Judge base rookie card. Judge had an historic 62 home run season in 2022 while battling for the American League single season home run record. This led to huge increases in interest and demand for his rookie cards. The 2022 Donruss Aaron Judge base rookie card carried an initial print run around 1 per hobby box. While these sold for under $100 upon release, the card skyrocketed in value throughout Judge’s record breaking season. By the end of 2022, PSA 10 examples of the 2022 Donruss Aaron Judge rookie were selling for over $2,000 with some elite examples cracking the $3,000 mark. As long as Judge continues his superstar play, this rookie card stands to gain even more value long term.
Another massive breakout star from 2022 was Seattle Mariners rookie Julio Rodriguez. While Rodriguez fell just short of the AL Rookie of the Year award, he still put together and all-star caliber season that really put his name on the map. Like Judge, interest and demand for Julio Rodriguez rookies exploded. The 2022 Donruss Julio Rodriguez base rookie has also seen huge value gains, rising from under $50 upon release to over $500 for PSA 10 copies by late 2022/early 2023. With Rodriguez poised for stardom, this rookie card also has significant long term upside.
Rookies cards are always the biggest movers in new Donruss sets, but star veterans can also hold strong long term value. Two perennial MVP candidates who saw huge contract years in 2022 were Shohei Ohtani of the Angels and Mookie Betts of the Dodgers. The 2022 Donruss base cards for both players have already crept up above the $50-75 range for top grades. As long as Ohtani and Betts continue producing at superstar levels, their base cards should remain strong long term holds.
Rookies aside, one of the most visually appealing and valuable parallels from the 2022 Donruss set are the Blue Foil parallels. Numbered to only 99 copies, these parallel cards feature a stunning blue border and foil treatment. Some top Blue Foil cards include:
Wander Franco /99 – Currently $300-400+
Ronald Acuna Jr /99 – $150-250 range
Mike Trout /99 – $200-300
Juan Soto /99 – $150-250
With their ultra-low print runs, these parallels hold value incredibly well and some could easily increase 5x or more over the long haul if those players continue ascending.
Another parallel set to watch are the Green Foil Refractors, which are numbered to only /25 copies. Some examples that have already cracked the $100-200 range include:
Bobby Witt Jr. /25
Julio Rodriguez /25
Riley Greene /25
With editions of only 25, these are the true short prints that high-end collectors chase. Prices are only going one direction for star rookies and veterans in these parallels – up.
While rookies and stars drive the biggest value gains, savvy collectors know to also watch veterans with Hall of Fame potential long term. Two veterans in the 2022 Donruss set that fit this profile include Clayton Kershaw and Albert Pujols. Both in the twilight of their careers, but bound for Cooperstown, their base cards have already risen to the $15-25 range and could easily 5x or more as their plaques get voted in.
The 2022 Donruss set saw another surge in popularity and the rookie class was one of the strongest in years. Headlined by Aaron Judge and Julio Rodriguez, their rookies have already made huge early value gains. But the long term upside on parallels of stars and future HOFers should not be overlooked. With the low print runs and stunning designs, cards like the Blue Foil and Green Foil Refractors offer incredible long term potential if those players continue producing at elite levels. Savvy collectors would do well to hold premium 2022 Donruss cards for 5-10 years as the values could grow exponentially from current levels.
