The 2022 baseball card season saw several highly coveted rookie cards emerge that have already started demanding premium prices from collectors. With players like Julio Rodriguez, Bobby Witt Jr., and Adley Rutschman making their MLB debuts this year, their rookie cards became must-haves for investors and fans looking to get in early. Even veterans saw some of their cards appreciate significantly in value. Here are some of the most expensive baseball cards from the 2022 season so far:
Julio Rodriguez Topps Chrome Auto Refractor – Julio Rodriguez had one of the most hyped rookie seasons in baseball in 2022 as he helped lead the Seattle Mariners back to the postseason. The excitement around his play translated to the card market as well, with his Topps Chrome Auto Refractor parallel becoming one of the hottest rookie cards of the year. PSA 10 examples of this card have sold for over $2,000, with raw copies still fetching $500 or more. As Rodriguez continues developing into a star, this card’s value is all but guaranteed to keep rising.
Bobby Witt Jr. Topps Chrome Auto Rainbow Foil – Like Rodriguez, Bobby Witt Jr. made his big league debut with the Kansas City Royals in 2022 and didn’t disappoint fans. His Topps Chrome Rainbow Foil Auto parallel became enormously popular with collectors chasing the card’s vivid colors and Witt’s promise. PSA 10 versions have sold for as much as $1,500, showing that Witt mania has fully taken hold in the hobby. Even raw copies still demand $300-500 due to his breakout rookie campaign.
Adley Rutschman Topps Chrome Auto Rainbow Foil – As the top prospect in baseball for several years, expectations were sky high for Adley Rutschman when he finally got called up by the Baltimore Orioles in 2022. He lived up to the hype on the field and his cards followed suit, none more so than this prized Topps Chrome Rainbow Auto parallel. PSA 10 editions have crossed the $1,000 mark, and raw copies still sell for $300 or more based on Rutschman’s star potential.
Sandy Alcantara 2022 Topps Finest Auto Patch – Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara had a career year in 2022 that saw him finish second in NL Cy Young voting. The performance made collectors take notice of his cards as well, especially parallels with memorabilia. His Topps Finest Auto Patch pulled in over $800 for a PSA 10 version, showing how Alcantara has become one of baseball’s most coveted pitchers from a card perspective too.
Aaron Judge Topps Finest Auto Patch – After hitting an AL-record 62 home runs in 2022 and powering the Yankees to the best record in the league, Aaron Judge had one of the greatest individual seasons in baseball history. Not surprisingly, his cards exploded in value, led by high-end parallels. His Topps Finest Auto Patch pulled in a staggering $2,000 for a PSA 10 copy, a testament to Judge’s new superstar status. Even raw versions still fetch $500 due to his historic ‘22 campaign.
Wander Franco Topps Finest Auto Patch – While injuries limited Wander Franco in 2022, he remains one of the brightest young stars in the game when on the field. His cards retain tremendous value led by premium memorabilia parallels. Franco’s Topps Finest Auto Patch pulled a winning bid of over $1,500 for the PSA 10 edition, underscoring his staying power as a cornerstone piece for serious collectors. Raw copies still sell for $400-500 based on his long-term potential.
Mike Trout 1/1 Rainbow Foil Auto – Even after a decade of dominance, Mike Trout finds new ways to impress collectors. One of the most coveted Trout cards to emerge in 2022 was his lone 1/1 parallel from Topps Finest, featuring an eye-catching Rainbow Foil Auto. After hitting the open market, it shattered expectations by pulling in an incredible $9,000 winning bid. Few other active players can command such a stratospheric price even for singular parallel versions of their cards.
Shohei Ohtani Topps Finest Auto Patch 1/1 – Following up his 2021 AL MVP season, Shohei Ohtani continued to cement his status as a true two-way force and the new face of baseball. Naturally, his rarest cards climbed to new heights, including this lone Topps Finest Auto Patch 1/1 parallel. It generated massive buzz upon listing and ended up selling for an even $10,000, a fitting price for a one-of-a-kind Ohtani card during his prime years.
Those were some of the priciest and most sought-after baseball cards to emerge over the 2022 season so far. With several young stars like Rodriguez, Witt Jr. and Rutschman just getting started, their rookies and top parallels should only increase in value as they develop. Meanwhile, superstars like Judge, Trout and Ohtani continue to see their rarest cards shatter records. The 2022 season established several new expensive baseball cards that collectors will be chasing for years to come.
