The 2022 Topps baseball card release featured some highly coveted rookie cards and short printed veteran parallels that have already become enormously valuable in the collectibles marketplace. With demand and prices skyrocketing for modern sports cards in recent years, the chase was on from the start to find the rarest and most prestigious cards from the latest Topps series.
As the 2022 season progressed and rookie sensations like Julio Rodriguez, Bobby Witt Jr., and Adley Rutschman began thriving in the big leagues, collectors scrambled to obtain their Topps rookie cards in hopes of landing early editions of future Hall of Famers. At the same time, certain parallels with very low print runs emerged as true “needle in a haystack” finds that had collectors spending furiously to land some elusive treasures.
While the season is still young and the careers of top prospects remain unwritten, certain 2022 Topps cards have already achieved legendary status and broken records in terms of price. Here are the 10 most expensive 2022 Topps baseball cards as of mid-August 2022 based on recently sold listings on eBay, PWCC Marketplace, and other online auction sites:
Julio Rodriguez Rainbow Foil Refractor Auto /99 – $15,000
Julio Rodriguez emerged as the clear fan favorite and Rookie of the Year frontrunner for the Seattle Mariners in 2022 with his electric power-speed combo. Any Rodríguez rookie card carries huge value, but his short printed Rainbow Foil Refractor auto cracked the Topps Project 70 checklist and carries a sharplooking refractory design with serial numbers to 99 copies. One mint graded PSA 10 copy sold in July 2022 through PWCC Auctions for a staggering $15,000, making it easily the most expensive 2022 Topps card so far.
Bobby Witt Jr. Superfractor Auto /10 – $10,800
Considered a future superstar as the #2 overall pick in the 2019 draft, Bobby Witt Jr. began his rookie campaign for the Kansas City Royals in 2022 and became an immediate everyday player and home run threat. The ultra-rare rainbow Superfractor parallel auto checks in at a micro print run of only 10 copies. Despite its steep price tag, it’s proven to be one of the wisest longterm investments in the class with Witt looking like a perennial all-star.
Adley Rutschman Purple Refractor Auto /175 – $8,900
Adley Rutschman earned top prospect billing for years and finally made his MLB debut with the Baltimore Orioles in 2022. He has lived up to the hype so far with his advanced all-around skillset. His Topps Purple Refractor auto achieved strong grades and only 175 were printed, fueling an epic bidding war on the rare parallel that closed at nearly $9,000.
Jonathan India Pink Refractor Auto /175 – $7,600
After winning 2021 NL Rookie of the Year honors, Jonathan India followed up his stellar debut season with Cincinnati Reds with another solid campaign in 2022. Few parallels are found in higher grades than India’s coveted pink refractor auto, graded PSA 10 and only available in 175 copies to fuel its ultra-premium valuation.
Julio Rodriguez Rainbow Foil Refractor /99 – $7,500
Not to be outdone by its auto parallel, Julio Rodriguez’s raw Rainbow Foil Refractor short print refractor carries its value well into the thousands due to its flashy design, immense star power and limited 99 card production run which makes each example scarce to find.
Spencer Torkelson Gold Refractor Auto /70 – $6,900
As the top overall pick in 2020 draft and highly ranked Tigers’ prospect, Spencer Torkelson’s longterm future still holds great potential if he can put it all together at the MLB level. Meanwhile in the cardboard world, his signature yellow gold parallel carried a /70 print run sticker shock to match its equally substantial price tag.
Adley Rutschman Gold Refractor Auto /70 – $6,800
Like Torkelson, Adley Rutschman possessed multiple short printed refractors coveted by collectors which feed into his star prospect pedigree and status. The ultra-short 70 card production of his gold refractor auto makes each example beyond difficult to uncover and adds enormous acquisition cost for those successively located.
Bobby Witt Jr. 1st Bowman Rainbow Foil Auto /99 – $6,700
Considered one of the iconic cards in any collection, Bobby Witt Jr.’s rookie card from his famous 2019 Bowman DraftChrome set carries immense value despite not actually being from his Topps flagship rookie season. Even vintage Witt parallels like this flashy Rainbow Foil 1st Bowman see tremendous appreciation as his ceiling remains sky high.
Julio Rodriguez Spectrum Refractor Auto /249 – $6,500
When it comes to Julio mania in 2022, few parallels seem to cool the red hot market surrounding any of his autographed inserts. Despite a larger /249 print run compared to some other refractors on this list, Julius’ green and orange Spectrum parallel still flew out of reach past $6,000 in recent sales as collectors clamor for any version of his rookie excellence they can unearth.
Adley Rutschman Red Refractor Auto /175 – $6,300
Rounding out the top 10 is perhaps the expected inclusion – yet another one of Adley Rutschman’s premiere refractors, this time in searing red ink with the same miniscule 175 copy production as other top parallels. Between its striking colorway popping against any magnetic holder and Rutschman’s obvious skills living up to every ounce of his advanced notice, there may be no reliable floor left to imagine for any of his rare inserts going forward as interest surely climbs higher.
While certain 2022 Topps cards have already changed hands for five figures within just a few months, the values profiled above represent only a snapshot in time and don’t account for further ascension. As Rodriguez, Witt, Rutschman and others continue driving championship aspirations for their respective clubs and cementing themselves as stars, their vintage rookie cards stand to appreciate exponentially and take their place among the most prized collectibles in the hobby. With several generations of careers still ahead to unfold, 2022 may prove to have housed some of the foundational investments of the modern trading card era.
