The 2023 Panini baseball card set is one of the most anticipated releases of the year. With rookies like Julio Rodríguez and Bobby Witt Jr. having breakout seasons, along with veterans continuing to produce at an elite level, there are plenty of cards that have potential to increase significantly in value in the coming years. Let’s take a look at some of the top cards from the 2023 Panini baseball release that could become extremely valuable holdings.
One of the obvious choices for most valuable 2023 Panini baseball card is Julio Rodríguez. The Mariners rookie sensation won the American League Rookie of the Year award in 2022 and immediately established himself as a budding superstar. Any prizm, genesis, or one-of-one parallel of Rodríguez could fetch astronomical prices down the road given his incredible talent and the massive following he’s building in Seattle. Rodríguez Prizm and Genesis rookies from 2021 Leaf are already trading for thousands of dollars and prices will only go up from there if he continues on his current trajectory. A 1/1 Julio Rodríguez parallel from 2023 Panini could realistically sell for well over $100,000 once graded and preserved long term.
Another rookie phenom enjoying an outstanding debut campaign is Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals. Witt smashed 20 home runs and stole 30 bases in his first full MLB season in 2022 while playing stellar defense at third base. His success and the hype around him as one of the brightest young stars in the game make Witt’s rookies ultra desirable. Look for demand and prices to skyrocket on any prizm, genesis, or one-of-one parallels of Witt from 2023 Panini. A PSA 10 example could sell for $5,000-$10,000 within a couple years if he continues developing into the perennial all-star many scouts projected.
Moving beyond the rookie sensations, some of the surest bets for long term value from 2023 Panini are going to be cards featuring vintage performances from established superstars in their primes. As long as they avoid major injuries or declines, parallels of guys like Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, Mookie Betts, Juan Soto, and Fernando Tatis Jr. have a great chance to gain tremendous worth down the road. Ohtani in particular is a virtual lock – he’s a true unicorn and any prizm, genesis, or one-of-one of the two-way Japanese phenom would make an incredible hold. Selling for at least $1000-$2000 within 5 years would be a reasonable expectation.
Rookie cards get a lot of hype and attention, but veterans who stay healthy and produce at the plate and on the mound for a decade or more tend to be the cards that spike the most over very long time horizons. A PSA 10 example of a Mike Trout prizm or genesis rookie is already worth north of $10,000 – and that’s after only around 10 seasons in the bigs. Imagine what Trout parallels could fetch 15-20 years from now if he continues raking into his late 30s. The same logic applies to cards like Clayton Kershaw, Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, and Zack Greinke – future Hall of Famers still cranking out All-Star seasons in their late 30s. These types of true lifetime achievement cards could hit six figures given long enough timelines.
While the biggest stars usually drive the priciest cards, keep an eye out for emerging superstar options that could provide major long term ROIs. Guys like Ronald Acuña Jr. and Wander Franco have managed to stay relatively affordable despite immense promise – but their cards have massive breakout potential over 5-10 years. Acuña is already an MVP caliber player when healthy, and Franco is coming off a fantastic rookie campaign and should elevate to superstar heights soon. A PSA 10 Genesis parallel of either could easily trade for $5000 with another 3-5 phenomenal seasons. Similarly, budding phenoms like Bobby Miller, Adley Rutschman, Oneil Cruz and Spencer Torkelson could deliver gigantic returns if they blossom into annual All-Stars.
In addition to quality rookies and stars, prospect cards are always lottery tickets capable of paying out big in the rare event the player pans out as advertised. Prospect superfractors and 1/1s that seem inconsequential now could shoot up exponentially with a breakout starting next season. cards of current top prospects like Druw Jones, Termarr Johnson, and Jackson Holliday could see double digit multipliers in value just with solid MLB debuts next season. Elite shortprints like green shimmer prizms or rare numbered parallels provide huge upside potential here.
As with any investment, diversity is wise when collecting the priciest cards. Balance star power with emerging talents, prospects with proven veterans, and high numbers with low serials. Cards authenticated and preserved with top grades like PSA/BGS 10 also provide peace of mind for long term holds versus raw ungraded options. With patience and due diligence researching players, the 2023 Panini release provides several lottery tickets that could deliver life changing returns with the right outcomes over the next 5-20 years. Focus on sustainable contributors, avoid injury risks when possible, and be prepared to hold tenaciously through inevitable valleys for maximum gains.
While rookie cards tend to generate the most hype early on, cards of proven veteran superstars, emerging stars, and elite prospects can provide exponentially greater long term value increases with the right combination of sustained individual excellence and market forces. The 2023 Panini baseball set offers a treasure trove of options for making lucrative investments in top talent at their current price points. With patience, vigilance, and strategic collection balancing multiple player types, serious investors can stack their portfolios with cards primed to grow into six and even seven figure valuations in future bull market climates if they continue delivering MVP caliber production.
