Target Baseball Cards 2023 – What to Expect for the Upcoming Season
Baseball card collectors look forward to the new release of cards each season from the major manufacturers like Topps, Panini, and Upper Deck. Retail giant Target also offers their own exclusive baseball card products and is one of the most popular locations for collectors to find new wax boxes, packs, and memorabilia cards throughout the year. With the 2023 MLB season approaching, here’s an in-depth look at what Target shoppers can anticipate finding on shelves for the upcoming year of baseball cards.
2023 Topps Series 1
As always, one of the biggest releases of the year is Topps Series 1, which kicks off the annual card run from the longtime MLB photography license holder Topps. The retail exclusive jumbo boxes and blasters Target puts out for Series 1 fly off the shelves as this is usually collectors’ first chance all year to obtain the prized rookie cards for the upcoming MLB draft class. Some top prospects to watch for in 2023 Topps Series 1 retail releases at Target include Druw Jones, Elijah Green, Jackson Holliday, and Brock Porter. The design theme and photo variations are still unknown but collectors will undoubtedly flock to Target stores starting in late February or early March to rip packs and complete the base set and any parallel color variations as soon as possible.
Panini Prizm and Playoff Football
While not a true baseball card product, Target will also have an exclusive license with Panini for their upcoming 2023 Prizm and Playoff football releases. These modern football card products have gained immense popularity recently and Target offers blasters, hangers, and boxes in their card section. Football collectors will enjoy ripping these at Target in search of rookie phenoms like Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, and Bijan Robinson. The Prizm parallels and insert odds make these fun products for both beginners and veteran traders alike. Keep an eye out as the 2023 NFL regular season begins in case Target puts any of these items on clearance to make shelf space for baseball in late fall.
Bowman and Stadium Club
After the MLB Draft in July, the hobby shifts focus to Bowman, Topps’ yearly prospect set. Target typically lands Bowman blasters, hangers, and jumbo boxes with a chance at the year’s top draft picks. Jonathan India made his card debut in Bowman paper from retail in 2019. The design often incorporates flashy photos of minor leaguers. Stadium Club also arrives at Target in the late summer, serving as one of the nicest looking flagship releases with elegant silhouettes and intricate foil details. Both products provide fun entertainment value into the warmer months before the annual flagship Series 2 release in fall.
2023 Topps Fire
Topps Fire inserts and parallels were an instant hit upon the product’s debut last year, featuring vivid action shots with Matrix-like digitized effects. Target carried the first ever retail release of Topps Fire and it flew off the shelves. Expect a similar rollout again in 2023 whether in blasters, hangers or special edition packs. Fire quickly gained renown as a collection must-have and hitting on any of the short printed parallel variants from Target was extremely fulfilling. Moreover, Topps usually includes some type of Fire insert in their flagship Series releases throughout the year, so Fires will remain a lasting hobby discussion point.
Holiday Releases and 2023 Update
Closer to the winter holidays, Target baseball card collectors can look forward to the retailer’s exclusive releases that always seem to feature a festive graphic design hinting at the season. In past Decembers, Target carried Topps Holiday packs which included specially designed cards and inserts. The Topps “Update” series arrives in late summer/fall each season as a mid-year refresh featuring players’ new teams and stats from after the MLB All-Star break. Target usually stocks blasters or jumbo boxes well-suited for holiday gifts or stocking stuffers complete with rookie sensations from the ensuing seasons.
Memorabilia Cards and Specialty Products
Beyond traditional card wax packs and boxes, Target offers an array of licensed baseball memorabilia products throughout the year too. Limited framed jersey cards, bat knob cards, and special card sets from Topps, Panini, and others frequently line the shelves. Unique specialty releases such as 2021 Topps Archives Snapshots (vintage style action shots) and 2022 Topps Gold Label (ultra premium engravings) also surfaced at Target and provided special chase variants. Meanwhile, occasional Target-exclusive collaborations with Bowman or Stadium Club containing unique memorabilia parallels or autographed young stars prove popular. Collectors will want to peruse this section for special finds beyond the wrappered wax.
Overall, Target provides a fun and accessible retail destination for baseball card collectors of all eras. With the wealth of ever-evolving flagship, insert, and specialty releases stocked consistently each season, baseball card enthusiasts can plan frequent Target visits throughout the spring, summer and fall to maintain their collections and hunt that next elusive rookie hit. 2023 looks poised to continue the exciting trends as the next generation of MLB stars emerges. Best of luck to all collectors checking Target’s trading card aisles in the new year!
