The 2022 Topps baseball card release features current MLB stars and top prospects across various sets. As one of the premier brands in the sports card industry, Topps delivers nostalgic designs and premium parallels in every year’s flagship Series 1, Series 2, and Update issues. Let’s take a closer look at some of the top rookies, short prints, and autograph cards collectors searched for in 2022 Topps baseball.
Perhaps the most sought-after rookie cards in 2022 Topps were Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman and Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez. As the No. 1 overall picks from the 2019 and 2018 MLB Draft classes, respectively, Rutschman and Rodriguez had tremendous hype heading into their rookie campaigns. Their base rookies from Series 1 sold for over $100 each by the end of the season. Top prospect autographs and parallels climbed much higher, with colorized parallel versions reaching several hundred dollars. Los Angeles Angels pitcher Reid Detmers, Toronto Blue Jays infielder Gabriel Moreno, and Detroit Tigers slugger Spencer Torkelson rounded out the top five rookie sensations of 2022 Topps baseball.
In addition to standout rookies, several parallels saw tremendous demand from collectors. The highly sought-after Topps Chrome refractors featured iridescent refractor, black, orange, and gold parallels ranging from 1/1 to 1/10 in distribution. Topps Fire parallels included red, green, blue, purple, orange “lava,” and gold inserts with serial numbers from /199 to /50 copies. Topps Finest had “wave” refractors, plus emerald, sapphire, and ruby foil parallels. Topps Inception featured inverse negatives, sepia, and colorized parallels with printing plates available. Autographs and memorabilia cards inserted throughout the serial-numbered parallels added tremendous value.
For short print chase cards, Topps released several exciting hits across its flagship series. Series 1 featured Jason Giambi SP and Jameson Taillon SP parallels at 1/300 copies apiece. Series 2 included short prints of Mookie Betts, Bryce Harper, Ronald Acuña Jr., and Jonathan India at rarities like 1/150 or 1/75 variants. Update also joined the fun with rare parallels of Gerrit Cole, Mike Trout, and Pete Alonso numbering under 100 copies each. Vintage stock variations like 1969 and 1987 Throwbacks captivated nostalgic collectors. International/high number short prints brought global flair with low print runs.
While the core 3 series and Update sets garnered significant interest, specialty editions added premium chase appeal. Topps Tribute included photo variations and pristine relic parallels paying homage to baseball icons. Topps Project 70 visualized what cards from the 1970 set would look like today, featuring parallels numbered to just 70 copies. Topps Chrome and Bowman Chrome extended the refractor craze to include color blasts, negative refractors, and prisms. Topps Inception highlighted its sepia and inverse designs in autograph and memorabilia form. Limited-edition Museum Collections offered one-of-one treasures encased in acrylic stands.
Even the affordable value priced products found immense popularity in 2022. Topps Heritage embraced classic designs from the 1950s-1980s with sharp photography and key rookies. Topps Big League delivered fan favorites at an accessible price point. Topps Fire delivered vivid color ways and parallels under $10 a pack. Topps Clearly Authentic and Topps Holiday allowed collectors to showcase hits in protective windows. Topps Mini attracted young collectors with miniature cards sized like baseballs.
As long as fans continue passing down the baseball card collecting tradition, iconic brands like Topps will keep churning out nostalgic products that develop lifelong memories. Whether chasing superstar rookies, shiny parallels, or legendary relics, Topps provides inclusion for all levels of hobbyists. Its 2022 releases captivated the marketplace and nourished growing collector bases around the world. With each new season comes an opportunity for the next generation of talents to make their cardboard debuts and inspire future card collectors.
