As baseball fans anticipate the upcoming 2023 MLB season, collectors are already keeping an eye out for the release of the new opening day baseball cards. While the official release date has yet to be announced, based on trends from previous years, collectors can expect the 2023 opening day cards to be available for purchase around the first week of April 2023.
Opening day cards have become a highly anticipated release each year from the major card manufacturers, notably Topps and Panini. These special cards are produced to commemorate the start of the new baseball season and typically feature photographs of each team’s projected starting lineup and opening day pitcher. They serve as the first glimpse fans and collectors get of the new crop of baseball cards before the full base sets are released later in the spring.
In 2022, Topps was the first to release their opening day cards on April 5th, making them available in both retail hobby boxes as well as through their online store. Panini followed shortly after on April 12th with the release of their 2022 Diamond Kings opening day cards. Looking back even further, the 2021 Topps opening day cards hit stores on April 6th while Panini released their Donruss opening day subset a week later on April 13th.
Based on this release timeline over the past few years, the trade expectations for 2023 are that Topps opening day cards will be available the first week of April, likely between April 4-7. Panini is then anticipated to roll out their version within 5-10 days following the initial Topps release. Both manufacturers will aim to have the new cardboard on shelves and online in time for the first full week of the regular season, which commences on Sunday, March 26th in 2023.
While an official announcement has not been made yet, collectors can be fairly certain the 2023 opening day card releases will stick close to this established pattern from recent seasons. Topps in particular has been very consistent, putting out their special first cards of the year right around the first Tuesday of April during each of the past several campaigns.
As for what rosters will be featured on the 2023 opening day cards, that remains to be seen as many trades and free agent signings are still yet to be completed this offseason. Players who change teams prior to the regular season starting will likely still be included representing their new clubs. Examples of this in recent years include Javier Baez shown in a Detroit Tigers uniform on the 2022 cards despite being traded from the Cubs in the 2021 season.
In terms of specific product variations collectors can expect to find, Topps opening day cards typically arrive as a special 8-card insert set packaged individually inside Series 1 hobby boxes. The base cards usually showcase each team’s batting order and pitcher, though occasionally a manager or team photo card is mixed in. Panini’s Diamond Kings opening day subset has mainly included the projected batting order and pitcher for each club as well over the last few cycles.
Retail wise, Topps traditionally makes their opening day cards accessible in special rack packs released close to the first pitch of the new season. These multi-card packs provide an easy entry point for casual fans looking to commemorate the start of baseball without investing in a full hobby box. Online, both Topps and Panini sell subsets breaks of the opening day cards individually as well.
While the 2023 season is still months away from beginning, collectors are already eagerly awaiting what new photos and rosters will grace this year’s commemorative opening day cards from Topps and Panini. Serving as the true beginning of each campaign, the special cardboard kickstarts the annual hype and presents the first chance for fans to add new sluggers and hurlers to their collections in anticipation of an exciting MLB season ahead. Given past release patterns, the trade can feel fairly confident the first glimpse of 2023 will arrive during the first week of next April.
Collecting opening day baseball cards has become an annual tradition that signifies the start of a new baseball year for both players and fans alike. With the 2022 season now in the rearview mirror, all eyes are on when Topps and Panini will unveil their first pieces of cardboard commemorating the 2023 MLB campaign. Based on trends from recent years, collectors can expect the special inserts to arrive on store shelves during the first week of April 2023 as they count down the days until the first pitch of the new season.
