The baseball card hobby saw massive growth and several high-dollar sales in 2022. As the sport of baseball itself remains incredibly popular, fans’ collecting interests have also surged, leading to record-breaking prices paid for vintage cards and rookies of current stars. With another exciting season in the books, here are some of the most valuable baseball cards released in 2022 based on their serial numbers, printing quantities, and tie to notable players.
Perhaps the most coveted card of the year was Shohei Ohtani’s Topps Finest Auto purple refractor parallel. Ohtani, already considered one of the game’s greatest two-way talents, cemented his star status in 2022 by leading the league in home runs while posting a sub-2.50 ERA on the mound. His rare Finest Auto purple parallel was limited to only 5 copies pulled, making each one among the scarcest Ohtani cards in existence. Several have already sold for well over $10,000 due to his unique abilities and likely future Hall of Fame case.
Rookies of stars like Julio Rodríguez also captivated collectors. The Mariners outfielder had a spectacular debut season that saw him named AL Rookie of the Year. His Topps Chrome Prismatic Refractor rookie card parallel was limited to 99 copies, and individual specimens sold in the $3,000-5,000 range during and after the season. Lower numbered versions could become serious long-term holdings given Rodríguez’s budding superstar potential.
Staying in Seattle, fans chased cards of their rising club. Ty France had a breakout year at the plate and hisChrome Prismatic Refractor also saw strong early interest. Numbered to just /99, copies were priced north of $500. Meanwhile, the Mariners’ exciting playoff run boosted values of their leading young position players like Eugenio Suárez and the aforementioned Rodríguez and France. Their base rookies or parallels from series like Topps Chrome and Topps Finest jumped notably.
On the pitching side, cards depicting future aces like Cardinals flamethrower Jordan Montgomery gained attention. Acquired midseason from the Yankees in a trade, Montgomery shined down the stretch and in the postseason for St. Louis. His Chrome and Finest rookies rose to $50-100 levels or more. The likes of emerging Two-Way star George Kirby and Marlins SP Sandy Alcantara continued growing their collector bases as two of MLB’s best young hurlers.
For veterans, two-sport athletes like Shohei Ohtani and Pirates outfielder/punter Bryce Harper remained must-owns. Harper added to his already sizeable resume by winning NL MVP, helping several of his parallels from series like Topps Update climb above $100 values. Meanwhile, veterans chasing milestones saw cards spike when records fell – Albert Pujols cards jumped when he hit his 700th home run, for example.
Rookies of callups who flashed potential also saw early speculation. Cards like Bobby Witt Jr.’s Topps Chrome Prismatic Refractor /99 were picked up preemptively by Royals optimists, and his monster rookie campaign justified initial enthusiasm. Similarly, emerging talents Rickey Henderson Jr. and Druw Jones saw trials late in 2022 creating early buzz around their prospective 2023 rookie cards after taste of MLB success.
In the vintage market, legendary 1949 Bowman cards of icons like Jackie Robinson, Ted Williams, and Bob Feller broke records. A PSA 8 copy of Robinson’s iconic debut card sold for a staggering $2.88 million in November 2022. Prices reflected both the cards’ rarity, historical significance, and the sport’s enduring popularity seven decades later. Similarly, a rare 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth in a high PSA 6 grade brought $240,000 – underscoring Ruth’s untouchable status in the hobby as well as growth among vintage collectors.
In sum, 2022 saw cards tied to superstar performances by Shohei Ohtani and Julio Rodríguez among the most in-demand, in addition to thriving interest in prospects, MVP seasons, milestones, and vintage historical pieces. With baseball’s staying power and increasing collector participation, 2023 is poised to deliver another season of monumental card sales.
