The San Francisco Giants have a storied history in Major League Baseball and with the new 2023 season comes a new collection of baseball cards featuring the team’s star players both past and present. Cards depicting Giants legends and current standouts are always highly collectible among fans eager to showcase their fandom and appreciation for the iconic franchise.
Some of the biggest names that will surely have premium cards in 2023 sets include homegrown stars Brandon Crawford and Logan Webb after their outstanding 2022 campaigns. Crawford, now in his 12th season as the Giants’ starting shortstop, put together one of the finest seasons of his career at age 34, batting .231 with an .818 OPS along with 21 home runs and 90 RBI. He was arguably the heart and soul of the 111-win club and his defense up the middle remained stellar. Webb emerged as the ace of the pitching staff, notching a league-leading 11 wins to go with a 2.90 ERA over 27 starts. The right-hander has established himself as a true building block for the future.
As the face of the franchise for over a decade, Buster Posey will also command attention in retired player subsets. After calling it a career following the 2021 season, Posey remains one of the most popular and accomplished Giants ever, having won 3 World Series championships and an NL MVP award during his spectacular 12-year career that saw him make 6 All-Star teams as the heart of the order and anchor behind the plate. Posey was truly the consummate leader and will have his Cooperstown induction ceremony in 2023, cementing his baseball card legacy.
Other former Giants who could have newly produced retiree cards include Pablo Sandoval, who was a fan favorite during two stints in San Francisco and was part of all 3 championship teams, and Hunter Pence, whose home run trot became iconic during the team’s 2012 title run. In the prospect realm, 2023 should mark the emergence of highly touted youngsters like catcher Joey Bart and outfielder Heliot Ramos, each looking to garner increased recognition in the hobby after up-and-down debut campaigns in 2022.
Among the top trading card product releases expected to feature prominent Giants content are Topps Series 1 & 2, Bowman Baseball, Allen & Ginter, Topps Heritage, and Topps Chrome. The National Sports Collectors Convention (NSCC) and other major hobby trade shows will also see special Giants-focused inserts and parallels introduced by manufacturers like Topps, Panini, and Leaf. Autograph and memorabilia relic inserts of stars like Crawford, Webb, Posey, and more are sure to be hot commodities. Exquisite Patchworks from National Treasures has become renowned for its intricate tri-reliquary patches incorporating meaningful artifacts from giants of the game.
When examining the history of Giants cards, the 1952 Bowman set is revered for introduced color photos and marking Willie Mays’ rookie card debut. Mays would go on to become arguably the franchise’s greatest player, highlighted by his iconic over-the-shoulder catch in the 1954 World Series. Other seminal vintage Giants issues include ones featuring Hall of Famers like Mel Ott, Carl Hubbell, and Juan Marichal from the 1930s-1960s. Topps’ 1962, ’63, and ’64 runs were particularly iconic for their fun action shots capturing classic Giants eras.
As one of baseball’s most storied franchises, the San Francisco Giants will continue to fascinate collectors and maintain an important presence across all levels of the modern trading card hobby. With their passionate Bay Area fanbase and decorated championship tradition, cards celebrating the team’s stars of today and yesterday are sure to be highly coveted for years to come. The 2023 releases will undoubtedly feature many of the heroes who powered the Giants back to the top of the baseball world in recent seasons.
