The 2021 MLB season saw a return to some sense of normalcy as COVID-19 restrictions eased across the country and fans returned to ballparks. On the field, several young stars emerged and franchise cornerstones like Juan Soto and Fernando Tatis Jr. took their talents to new heights.
As a result, 2021 MLB baseball cards were highly sought after by collectors both new and old. Rookie cards and stars of the rookie class of 2021 like Shohei Ohtani, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Wander Franco saw skyrocketing prices and demand surge. Panini Prizm, Topps Series 1 and Series 2, and Bowman Chrome were among the most popular mainstream baseball card releases.
For the first time since 2008, Topps released two Series 1 sets – a standard release and a higher-end printing plate variation. Both sets prominently featured the emerging stars and top rookie classes on every pack. Autograph and memorabilia cards of Soto, Tatis, Acuna, Albies and others were hot commodities on the secondary market.
One of the biggest card storylines of 2021 came from Panini Prizm. For the first time, Panini secured an MLBPA license, allowing them to use official team logos and uniforms on their cards. Panini Prizm released a standard base set along with ‘Flux’ parallel inserts featuring colorful mosaic patterns on the front.
Rookies and parallels of elite young stars like Ohtani, Vlad Jr., Acuna, and Tatis exploded in secondary market value. A Prizm Silver Prizm parallel of Wander Franco, considered the top prospect in baseball, fetched over $100,000 at auction. Overall, Prizm brought fresh excitement and huge card pop for collectors new and old.
Bowman Chrome, the premier prospect card set, also saw massive popularity in 2021. Juan Soto’s first card appearance was in Bowman Chrome from 2014 while Acuna, Bo Bichette, Gleyber Torres, and more all had their earliest releases in the set as amateurs. The 2021 Bowman Chrome class was headlined by No. 1 prospect Marcelo Mayer and gun-toting shortstop Jackson Jobe.
Top rookies and key parallels like green refractors and autos would sell for thousands with each new release. Veteran stars like Trout, Arenado, deGrom and young All-Stars like Guerrero and Albies also commanded big money for rare parallels and memorabilia cards.
Donruss baseball also found new life among collectors with their ‘Optic’ release featuring colorful refractors and parallels. Popular Stars like deGrom, Soto, Betts, Freeman and more had some of their best looking cards in Donruss Optic. Autos and rare ‘Zenith’ parallels fetched over $1000 each online in some cases.
Heritage Minors and Bowman Draft also gave collectors their baseball card fix, focusing on top prospects and recent draftees. Names like Jack Leiter, Henry Davis, and Benny Montgomery started to gain recognition among the card collecting community with their early releases before many had played a single pro game.
Several huge card shows return like the National in July and National Sports Collectors Convention in August. Vintage stars like Musial, Mays, Clemente and Aaron remained steadfast chases for those hunting famous relics, autos and gem mint condition vintage cards. Online breakers also gained huge popularity breaking cases of the latest releases.
Whether acquiring packs at hobby shops or hunting singles and hits on eBay, collectors of all types indulged in the baseball card boom throughout 2021. With fans back in stands, a full minor league season, and young superstars cementing their place among the game’s elite – 2021 MLB cards scratched the itch of many during exciting times for the sport once again. As baseball’s next generation takes shape, so does the never-ending allure of their dazzling cardboard counterparts.
