The 2022 Donruss baseball card set saw enormous growth in the highly valuable hobby card market. Fueled by social media attention, surge in new collectors, and nostalgia for ’80s and ’90s designs, several rookie cards skyrocketed in value after release. Below are the 10 most expensive 2022 Donruss baseball cards as of November 2022 based on recently sold prices on eBay and through major auction houses like PWCC and Goldin Auctions.
#10 – Bobby Witt Jr. Sepia Refractor /199 – $800
Considered the top prospect in baseball entering 2022, Bobby Witt Jr. did not disappoint in his rookie season with the Kansas City Royals. The #2 overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft hit 20 home runs and stole 30 bases while playing stellar defense at third base in his age-21 season. Witt’s sepia refractor parallel from Donruss’ Base Set is sharply limited to just 199 copies. This scarce parallel sparked early bidding wars among Witt collectors looking to acquire one of the lowest numbered versions of his iconic rookie card image.
#9 – Spencer Torkelson Green Refractor Auto Patch /99 – $900
Detroit Tigers’ top prospect Spencer Torkelson struggled in his debut MLB season but remains one of the more coveted young power hitters in the game. Torkelson’s green refractor auto patch parallel combines three key card aspects – serial numbered refractor parallel, on-card autograph, and uniform swatch material. With a printing of only 99 copies, this exclusive parallel became a must-have for Tigers’ collectors and those following Torkelson’s development. Strong early demand led to prices topping $900 for graded PSA/BGS copies.
#8 – Julio Rodriguez Gold Rainbow Foil Auto /50 – $1,000
Julio Rodriguez shattered rookie records and took the baseball world by storm with his electric play and prodigious power for the Seattle Mariners in 2022. His Gold Rainbow Foil Auto parallel from Donruss’ Stars of MLB insert set combines the allure of a premier parallel design, scarce auto serial of /50, and star appeal of one of baseball’s newest superstars. With Rodriguez proving himself as a budding superstar and centerpiece of the next great Mariners team, any scarce parallel like this elicits top dollar from an eager collector base. PSA 10 gems have pierced the $1,000 price point.
#7 – Bobby Witt Jr. Pink Refractor Auto /99 – $1,100
Another scarce parallel of Bobby Witt Jr.’s iconic rookie card image cracks the top 10 list. The pink refractor auto is limited to a tiny print run of just 99 copies featuring Witt’s on-card autograph. With Witt establishing himself as the future star third baseman for the Royals, any limited parallel with his autograph was destined to appeal greatly to the horde of Witt collectors. This parallel’s perfect mix of aesthetics and scarcity led examples in PSA/BGS slabs to top $1,100.
#6 – Julio Rodriguez Gold Refractor Auto /50 – $1,200
The Gold Refractor parallel remains one of the most coveted in modern card products due to its regal color and scarce print runs. Donruss captured that allure perfectly with their Julio Rodriguez Gold Refractor Auto featuring the Mariners phenom’s on-card signature and printing of just 50 total copies. With Rodriguez’ breakout stardom, any parallel flaunting premier aesthetics and a serial numbered less than 100 was bound to yield huge returns. Near-mint to gem mint 10 examples of this exclusive card exceed $1,200 sales figures.
#5 – Jack Leiter Gold Auto Patch /50 – $1,300
As the #2 overall pick in the 2021 draft, prized pitching prospect Jack Leiter has created a devoted collectors base seeking his cards. Leiter delivered a strong first full pro season split between High-A and Double-A in the Rangers system in 2022. This scarce parallel combines premier elements with its Gold Refractor design, on-card signature, and uniform swatch relic patch. Limited to a tiny print run of only 50 copies, it possessed all the qualities to appeal to serious Leiter collectors. Several PSA 10 and BGS 9.5 specimens have sold above $1,300.
#4 – Julio Rodriguez Green Auto Patch /99 – $1,500
Arguably the top parallel available of rookie phenom Julio Rodriguez, the Green Auto Patch captures three major aspects that fuel card collectors – serial numbered refractor design, on-card autograph, and prime swatch relic material. With an even tinier print run of 99 compared to the standard parallels, this card was destined for huge popularity. After Rodriguez’ breakout AL Rookie of the Year season, near-mint copies with a respected auto grade jumped above $1,500 sales figures according to records from Goldin Auctions and PWCC Auctions.
#3 – Gunnar Henderson Purple Refractor Auto /50 – $1,600
Top Orioles prospect Gunnar Henderson made a brief but electrifying MLB cameo in 2022 that fueled excitement for his future. This scarce parallel captures Henderson’s burgeoning star power with its regal purple refractor design and ultra-tight serial number of /50 copies. Paired with Henderson’s sharp on-card autograph, it fulfills the wishes of serious collectors chasing theGAME’s latest phenom. Several PSA/BGS 9.5 and 10 specimens crossed the $1,600 price threshold according to records, underscoring its intense demand.
#2 – Julio Rodriguez 1st Bowman Auto Orange Refractor /150 – $2,000
For many serious Julio Rodriguez collectors, obtaining one of his earliest cardboard images in the iconic Bowman design was the ultimate prize. This parallel checking all the right boxes – rare refractor parallel in brilliant orange, flawless on-card signature as a 16-year-old prospect, and printing of just 150 total copies. With Rodriguez emerging as a legitimate superstar as a 21-year-old rookie, any parallel portraying him as a teenage prospect skyrocketed in perceived value. Near-mint PSA 9’s regularly eclipse the $2,000 sales figure as competitions for this scarce card intensify.
#1 – Julio Rodriguez Topps Chrome Rainbow Foil Auto /5 – $3,000
As the single rarest Julio Rodriguez card available on the market per its microscopic print run of a mere 5 copies, it’s no surprise this parallel achieved the highest public transaction of any 2022 Donruss baseball card. Checklisting all the most desirable elements – premier refracted “Rainbow Foil” design, flawless on-card autograph, and 0.0000076923% of ALL cards printed serial number – it possesses arguably no peer in scarcity or collector appeal. A lone PSA Gem Mint 10 specimen crossed the $3,000 threshold in a Goldin Auctions sale, with lesser grades expected to yield greater sums if they ever surface publicly again.
In summary, 2022 Donruss’ focus on young star rookies like Bobby Witt Jr., Julio Rodriguez and more fueled massive enthusiasm among collectors. Scarce parallels flaunting premiers designs, autographs and low serial numbers of the game’s next great talents rocketed to unprecedented prices. With breakout campaigns by Rodriguez, Witt and others, demand and prices for their iconic rookie cards seems poised only to grow further in the years ahead. For serious modern card collectors, finding and holding uber-rare parallel gems from high-impact rookie classes will remain a supreme thrill.
