The 2023 MLB season will mark the 70th anniversary of Topps baseball cards. Topps has been the premier producer of MLB trading cards since the early 1950s and remains the official card of Major League Baseball. Each year, Topps releases new sets highlighting that season’s active players, rookie cards, autographs, and more. Here’s an in-depth look at what fans can expect from Topps baseball cards for the 2023 MLB campaign.
The flagship Topps base set is always the most anticipated release each year. For 2023, Topps will produce an estimated 600-700 card base set featuring all 30 MLB teams. Each team will get about 20 cards on average, with the most popular clubs likely getting a few extra. Standout rookies and prospects are usually featured more prominently in the base set as well. Veterans and role players fill out the rest. Design-wise, Topps shifts things up periodically but generally sticks to a classic look paying tribute to their early era designs. 2023 is expected to have a cleaner, simpler aesthetic.
In addition to the base set, Topps produces numerous insert sets highlighting various players, subsets, and themes. Some popular annual insert sets include Topps Chrome, which features refractor parallel photo variations. Allen & Ginter brings unique non-sport designs mixed in. Topps Heritage goes retro with a throwback design element. Topps Finest uses high-end photography. Topps Transcendent focuses on superstar talents. And Topps Update issues mid-season additions and rookie debuts each fall. Expect all these tried-and-true inserts again for the 2023 season plus some new experimental ideas as Topps celebrates 70 years.
Autograph cards are a major collector niche and Topps satisfies with offerings every year. Flagship products like Topps Tribute and Topps Chrome Autographs use on-card autographs of current MLB stars. Topps Gallery of Heroes highlights legendary retired players’ autographs. And Topps Sapphire has been delivering high-end, exclusive autographed gems encased in precious gemstones. For 2023, look for Topps to feature a special autograph checklist celebrating the company’s rich baseball history and significant athletes from over the decades.
Rookie cards remain one of the biggest drivers of the hobby. Topps 2023 will introduce rookie cards for any first or second year players that make their MLB debut during the upcoming season. Hot prospects like Adley Rutschman, Bobby Witt Jr, and some other exciting newcomers will likely draw big interest from collectors chasing their rookie cards. Topps Chrome and Topps Finest are usually where the star rookies get their flashy photo variation cards alongside the standard base set issues. Keep an eye out for short printed parallels and serial numbered versions of the elite prospects too.
As the NFT and digital collectibles space continues to intertwine with physical trading cards, Topps has been leading innovation there as well. Their Topps NFT platform introduced last year featured exclusive release access and digital versions of some cards. Expect Topps NFT to showcase the 2023 season in the digital form next. As 3D printing and augmented reality evolve, Topps has also been experimenting with new experiences blending physical and virtual baseball cards in unique ways. Topps famously signed a deal making them the exclusive MLB NFT partner long term so their digital offerings will only grow.
With 70 years of history behind them as the leading brand in the industry, Topps is sure to go all out for their 2023 MLB season releases. Between the flagship base set presenting all 30 teams, the multiple exciting insert sets, top rookie cards to chase, autographed treasures, and pioneering new efforts in the digital space—Topps 2023 will once again set the standard. Whether collecting for the love of the game, to build full team sets, pursue star rookies, or eventually flip for profit down the line, Topps 2023 promises something for every baseball card fan and collector out there. Marking seven decades as the premier baseball card provider is an incredible milestone, and they will pull out all the creative stops to make 2023 a banner year to remember.
