The 2023 baseball card season is shaping up to be an exciting one for fans of the Cincinnati Reds. While the on-field results in 2022 left much to be desired, the Reds have several young emerging stars that could make their cards very desirable in the coming years. Let’s take an in-depth look at some of the top Reds players to watch on baseball cards released in 2023.
Jonathan India had a tremendous rookie season in 2021 that saw him win the National League Rookie of the Year award. India proved he is a core member of the Reds moving forward with an excellent all-around campaign that saw him hit .269 with 21 home runs and 69 RBI. India’s star continued to rise in 2022 as he posted another solid season at the plate while also showing excellent defense at second base. His cardboard is extremely hot right now and autographed India rookies from 2021 Topps series 1 and 2021 Bowman chrome are amongst the most coveted Reds cards on the secondary market. Look for India’s second year cards from 2022 Topps series 1 and 2022 Bowman to also gain value as he establishes himself as a budding star.
Rookie pitcher Hunter Greene had a memorable debut in 2022 by regularly hitting triple digits on the radar gun with his electric fastball. The second overall pick from the 2017 draft lived up to the hype by showing why his stuff is so tantalizing. While command issues led to some inconsistencies, Greene flashed dominating potential and cemented his place as a future ace. His rookie cards exploded in value in 2022 and will be some of the most sought after Reds cards in 2023 releases as collectors scramble to obtain the top prospect. Variations like autographed or memorabilia cards of Greene could be true gems.
Pitcher Nick Lodolo had a solid first full season in 2022 that saw him finish with a 3.90 ERA over 16 starts despite some control issues. The seventh overall pick in the 2019 draft showed why he’s such a tantalizing arm with a mid-90s fastball and sharp slider. Lodolo continued to develop over the year and profiles as a future frontline starter. While not quite the hype of Greene, Lodolo’s rookie cards from 2022 Topps series 1 and 2022 Bowman will hold value as he moves towards becoming an anchor in Cincinnati’s rotation. Autographed versions or special parallels could pay off handsomely down the road.
Shortstop Elly De La Cruz spent most of 2022 terrorizing minor league pitching as one of the elite prospects in all of baseball. Though he only received a brief cup of coffee in the majors late in the season, De La Cruz showed why he could be a true five-tool star. With elite speed, power, and arm strength, it’s easy to dream on the 21-year old Dominican’s potential. His first major league cards from 2022 Topps update could be a true long term buy since he profiles to be a perennial all-star. Any rare parallels, autographed cards, or prospects cards featuring De La Cruz from 2022 Bowman draft or chrome could turn out to be gold.
First baseman/outfielder Alejo Lopez broke out in a big way for the Reds in 2022 by slashing .293 with 11 homers in just 46 games after getting called up from triple-A. The 25-year old switch hitter showcased excellent contact skills from both sides of the plate. While the sample size is small, Lopez looks like he could be an everyday contributor going forward and his rookie cards in 2022 series 2 Topps, Topps update, and Bowman chrome releases will be gets for Reds diehards. Like the prospects above, autographed versions or rare variations have sneaky long term value potential.
While the Reds finished near the bottom of the NL Central in 2022, the future remains bright in Cincinnati with this exciting young core of position players and pitchers. Fans will surely be searching high and low for their cards through 2023 releases. Veterans like Tyler Naquin, Mike Moustakas, and Graham Ashcraft rounds outs the Reds cards worth watching next season as trade or breakout candidates. But it’s the emerging talents like India, Greene, Lodolo, De La Cruz and Lopez that have Reds collectors most excited about the future on and off the baseball card front. With continued development, their cardboard could pay dividends for years to come.
In summary, 2023 shapes up to be another strong year to hunt Reds cards. Between the established Jonathan India to rising stars like Greene, Lodolo, De La Cruz and Lopez, Cincinnati is stocked with young talent ready to take the baseball card hobby by storm. While wins may have been lacking on the field in 2022, Reds fans have good reason for optimism that their favorite players cards could be winning investments moving forward.
