The 2022 Topps baseball card release saw massive interest from collectors due to a perfect storm of factors involving rising player popularity, on-field performances, and nostalgia. While every release has its hot rookies and parallels to chase, this year stood out as one of the strongest in recent memory for the hobby. Let’s take a look at some of the 2022 Topps cards that generated the most buzz on the secondary market.
Shohei Ohtani was again the biggest star in baseball in 2022 and led the Angels to their first playoff berth in 7 years. Not surprisingly, his Topps cards were among the most sought after. The Ohtani base card reached over $100 for PSA 10 gems. His autographs and memorabilia cards fetched thousands. Perhaps the hottest Ohtani card was the Superfractor parallel, limited to /10 copies. Unconfirmed reports placed some PSA 10 examples north of $50,000 due to his back-to-back AL MVP awards.
Another Angels star breaking out was second year infielder Tyler Wade. Though he didn’t have the same season stats as Ohtani, Wade possessed intriguing on-field flashes and made highlight reels with web gem defensive plays at multiple positions. This translated to strong early collector interest in his Topps rookies, with the silver parallel /2022 copies selling for over $1000 graded. Wade mania cooled as the season progressed but his cards still hold value as a lottery style sleeper pick.
Switching to the NL, Ronald Acuña Jr continued cementing his status as the face of the Atlanta Braves franchise. Always a hit with collectors, Acuña added to his lore by posting an incredible .281/.391/.596 slash line upon his midseason return from injury. His flagship Topps base card hit the $200-300 range ungraded, while signed autos went over $1000. The true blockbuster Acuña card however was the elusive 1/1 Superfractor. While still in a private collection, estimates had this one-of-a-kind patch card at a cool $50,000+.
No rookie class generated as much hype in 2022 as that year’s draft class. Chief among them was Druw Jones, son of retired MLB star Andruw Jones. Drafted second overall by the Arizona Diamondbacks, Jones electrified scouts with his upside abilities similar to his father’s. Being one of the first picks off the board, Jones parallels like the Topps Chrome purple /150 sold for $4,000 while the super short printed red /10 went north of $10K for PSA 10s. Jones is a name to watch for years to come as one of the top prep talents to enter the pros in 2022.
Reminiscent of other “son of” stars is Justin Crawford, son of four time All-Star Carl Crawford. This left handed hitting outfielder was drafted 16th overall by the Phillies and made his case as one of the steals of the draft. While his base Topps rookies sold in the $100 range graded, Crawford parallels like the gold /2022 became hot prospects crossing $1,000. Compared to a potential superstar like Jones, Crawford seemed like a relative sleeper that collectors were all over in hopes of finding the next breakout talent.
Down in Atlanta, Vaughn Grissom emerged from waiver wire obscurity to become the Braves latest homegrown star. His callup coincided with Acuña’s injury and Grissom delivered clutch hits as Atlanta kept pace in the division race. This translated to love from the hobby, with Grissom rookies like the Topps Chrome refractor purple /150 selling in the $200-300 range before the season even ended. Some say Grissom is primed for stardom and his cards could be one of the best long term collecting investments from the 2022 rookie class.
While rookies often drive short term interest, veterans with prestigious careers continue carrying value as beloved members of their respective franchises. For the Cardinals, fan favorite Yadier Molina began his final season in St. Louis. The future Hall of Famer was showered with praise and parting gifts from teammates and competitors alike. Not surprisingly, Molina’s sendoff year cards boomed in price. His Topps Now Moments black parallel /5 sold for $2,500 graded while the Topps Archives Gold /70 crossed $1,000 PSA 10. Molina may be retired, but his legacy keeps collectors searching.
Molina’s long time teammate and franchise icon Albert Pujols also gave Cardinals Nation a season to remember in 2022 during his successful return to St. Louis. Pujols crushed home runs and enjoyed another All-Star appearance, furthering his claim as one of the greats of all-time. Therefore, his Topps cards were liquid gold to fans everywhere. Pujols’ 2021 Topps fire refractor parallel /76 sold for over $3,000 while his Topps Chrome autograph patch cards surpassed $5,000 PSA 10. Pujols proved age is just a number and collectors loved commemorating each milestone along the way.
In Southern California, fans of the Dodgers got to see veteran star Mookie Betts return to MVP form. Betts bashed 35 home runs, stole 18 bags, and played Gold Glove defense to lead LA to another division crown. His strong performance had collectors hunting his affordable flagship Topps base card, which routinely sold over $100 for a 10. Meanwhile his higher end cards like the Topps Museum Collection autograph, of which there were only 10 copies, went for astonishing sums north of $25,000 befitting one of the elite talents in the sport.
As always, parallel cards served as the true “chase” pieces for avid collectors. The 2022 Topps Chrome Update release delivered some of the rarest and costliest parallel inserts. Two of the most sought after were the Aaron Judge and Mike Trout Superfractor 1/1 parallels, reportedly selling in the neighborhood of $150,000 each in PSA 10 condition. The Trout card was made all the more desirable considering his annual injuries kept him sidelined for much of 2022. Other highly limited parallel hits that commanded five figure asks included Ronald Acuña Jr Green Ice /5, Bo Bichette Platinum Ice /5, and Shohei Ohtani Refractor Ice /10 among many more.
In 2022, the baseball card market rode a tidal wave of new and lapsed collectors diving deep back into the hobby amid rising player values. While every year has its standouts, this Topps series seemed to produce the most mainstream buzz and record sale prices. Veterans like Pujols and Molina saw interest peak to commemorate special seasons, while new phenoms like Ohtani, Acuña and top rookies showed why the future remains bright. For years to come, this 2022 Topps release will likely be remembered as rekindling card collecting mania on a scale not seen since the 1990s heyday.
