The release of Series 2 of the 2023 Topps Baseball card set brought with it a new batch of rookie cards and veteran cards that collectors were eager to pull. Like with most modern baseball card releases, there were certain parallels, short prints, and autograph or memorabilia cards that carried premium value above the standard base cards. Here is a breakdown of some of the most valuable and sought-after Series 2 cards from this year based on their current secondary market prices.
One of the most buzzed about rookies from Series 2 was Julio Rodríguez of the Seattle Mariners. Still early in his career but off to a incredible start winning the AL Rookie of the Year award in 2022, Julio Rodríguez rose to stardom quickly. His standard base rookie card from Series 2 still commands a premium, with PSA 10 gem mint examples currently selling for around $100-150. Parallel and autographed versions take that value much higher, with his /70 parallel card valued around $300-500 in PSA 10. His autograph rookie Autograph /50 card is among the most valuable from the set, fetching $1,000-2,000 for a cleanly autographed copy.
Another breakout rookie star, Oneil Cruz of the Pittsburgh Pirates also saw strong demand for his Series 2 rookie cards. His base rookie in a PSA 10 gem mint sells in the $75-100 range. His prized /70 parallel card though is much rarer, with a PSA 10 copy currently valued at about $300-500 given Cruz’s incredible talents being showcased in his rookie season. Short prints like his SP Variation card are valued a bit lower, around $50-75 in PSA 10 condition.
Veteran talents like AL MVP Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees and NL MVP Paul Goldschmidt of the St. Louis Cardinals frequently have flagship flagship rookie cards from over a decade ago command premiums but collectors were still excited to pull their base cards from Series 2. Judge’s base serially numbered to /399 currently fetches about $25-35 in gem mint condition. Goldschmidt’s /399 serially numbered card holds a similar $25-30 value in a PSA 10 grade.
Autograph cards remain the true prize pulls for many collectors. The Series 2 autograph of rookie catcher Adley Rutschman of the Baltimore Orioles is amongst the most sought-after, with his /50 serially numbered auto valued at $300-500 due to Rutschman’s star potential. Vinny Pascuccci’s autograph /50 is another hot rookie auto valued around $200-300 currently. Veterans cards that pull premiums include Albert Pujols’ auto /50 which sells for $150-250 and Clayton Kershaw’s /50 auto holding a $100-150 valuation based on recent eBay sales of qualified copies.
Topps’ various parallels like the /70 parallel, Museum Collection, and Rainbow Foil parallels which are inserted at lower ratios also hold solid collectible value. A few that stand out include Braves’ superstar Ronald Acuña Jr’s /70 serial parallel valued at $75-125 in mint condition, as well as his prized Rainbow Foil Parallel /35 card valued around $250-350 based on its rarity and Acuña being a perennial MVP candidate when healthy. Mariners prospect standout Emerson Hancock has a prized /70 parallel valued around $150-250 given his promise as a future ace.
As with every baseball card release, short prints and variations carry an air of mystique as the toughest cards to pull. Some that have seen strong early demand and pricing include Cardinals rookie Jordan Walker’s SP Variation at $75-150 in PSA 10 condition, as well as NL Rookie of the Year Michael Harris II’s SP Variation valued in the $50-75 range for a gem mint qualifer. Veteran star cards like Manny Machado’s SP Variation has seen recent eBay sales between $25-40 in pristine condition as well for dedicated Orioles and Padres PC collectors.
While the base cards from Topps Series 2 are relatively affordable overall, it’s the short prints, parallels, and especially autographed and memorabilia cards featuring star rookies and veterans that will hold the greatest long term collectible value. Rookies like Julio Rodriguez, Oneil Cruz, and Adley Rutschman alongside stars like Aaron Judge, Clayton Kershaw and Albert Pujols appear poised to be the true blue chip investments, especially if those prospects continue developing into great careers. With the current baseball card boom, Series 2 has already proven to be a profitable and entertaining release for collectors.
