The hobby of collecting vintage and modern baseball cards has exploded in popularity in recent years. Fueled by the nostalgia of childhood collections and the chance to strike gold by finding a rare card with a massive current value, many collectors are on the hunt for the top baseball cards out there right now. With vintage cards becoming increasingly scarce and expensive, much of the focus has turned to modern cards, especially prized rookie cards of today’s star players. Here are the top 10 most desirable baseball cards that collectors are actively pursuing in 2022, along with some background information and context around what makes each one so coveted.

2009 Bowman Chrome Draft Prospects Auto Refractor Purple #146 Mike Trout ($500,000+)
Trout has ascended to being widely recognized as the best player of his generation and one of the all-time greats. His 2009 Bowman Chrome rookie card is the undisputed holy grail of the hobby right now due to its extreme rarity and Trout’s GOAT status. Only 5 of the ultra-rare purple refractors were produced, making each one virtually priceless. Even a PSA-graded gem mint 10 copy would fetch well over $500,000 at auction today. While virtually unattainable for the average collector, Trout’s 2009 Bowman Chrome Draft auto refractor set the current record for highest price ever paid for a modern sports card when one sold at auction for over $400,000 in 2020.

1952 Topps Mickey Mantle PSA 8 ($350,000-500,000)
The Mick’s iconic 1952 Topps rookie card is the crown jewel of all vintage baseball cards. Even in relatively low PSA 8 condition, it can sell for multiples of 5 or 6 figures at major auctions. While almost all high-grade specimens are locked away forever in museum-quality collections, a PSA 8 still captures the essence of owning a piece of Mantle history. Low pop reports and the fact Mantle is widely hailed as the greatest switch hitter of all time make any 1952 Mantle rookie a guaranteed long-term investment even at today’s astronomical prices.

1998 Bowman’s Best Refractor #1 Derek Jeter ($100,000+)
Despite coming after his true rookie season in 1992 Donruss, Jeter’s 1998 Topps flagship card holds a legendary status and remains his iconic card image among collectors. Pulled from the ultra-high-end Bowman’s Best brand, the refractor parallel version takes Jeter fever to the next level. Long considered a lock for the Hall of Fame even before his recent induction, Jeter’s career achievements combined with his clean-cut image and popularity as the longtime Yankees captain cement this as one of the most desireable modern baseball cards. Only a handful are known to exist in PSA 10 condition.

1957 Topps Roberto Clemente (#175) PSA 8 ($80,000+)
Like the Mantle ’52, the 1957 Topps Roberto Clemente rookie ushers collectors into the realm of vintage greatness. Clemente was not only one of the premier five-tool players of his era en route to a Hall of Fame career and 3,000 hits milestone, but also made an indelible impact on and off the field as the first big league star from Latin America. Grading a solid PSA 8, which is no small feat for 60+ year old cardboard, this classic Clemente rookie provides a true piece of baseball history few can hope to own.

2013 Topps Chrome Mike Trout Autograph Orange Refractor #250/249 ($75,000+)
While not technically Trout’s true Topps rookie card (that came a year earlier), this ultra-rare orange parallel refractor holds significant cache among modern card collectors. With an impossibly low print run of only 249 total copies, the 2013 Topps Chrome autograph version in a PSA/DNA-graded gem mint 10 setting is the holy grail for Trout collectors today. Such specimens prove especially resilient to dramatic price fluctuations compared to more common parallels.

1949 Bowman Ted Williams (#81) PSA 7 ($60,000+)
Generally considered the greatest pure hitter of all-time based on various statistical analysis, Ted Williams’ cult hero status from his playing days has only grown stronger over the decades. As such, his coveted 1949 Bowman rookie in premium mid-grade remains significant attainable to collectors of greatness. Williams’ lofty on-field accomplishments and legendary hitting prowess despite serving as a Marine pilot in WWII make any version of his classic 1949 Bowman rookie a sound long-term investment even at today’s high prices.

2006 Topps Chrome David Wright Autograph Orange Refractor #94/99 ($50,000+)
While Wright’s career was cut short due to injuries and never reached the heights once expected, his autographed rookie cards remain highly prized as one of the best third basemen of his generation for the Mets. The ultra-short print orange refractor parallel captures lightning in a bottle, especially in pristine mint condition. At just 99 copies produced, each one is a true one-of-a-kind work of modern baseball card art proven to hold value tremendously well over time assuming no serious flaws exist.

1996 Finest Refractor #1 Derek Jeter PSA 10 ($45,000+)
Considered by many to be Derek Jeter’s single best card overall, the eye-popping 1996 Finest refractors take his signature rookie image to new heights. Only ranking behind the ultrarare 1998 Bowman’s Best on desirability today, the ’96 Finest provides a true vintage Jeter experience in the 90s refractors that started the craze. One copy in pristine PSA 10 condition is the ultimate goal piece for any Yankee collector’s museum-quality Jeter collection long term.

1968 Topps Nolan Ryan PSA 8 ($30,000+)
Arguably baseball’s hardest thrower ever and record holder for most no-hitters and strikeouts all time, Nolan Ryan’s playing career in the late 1960s through the early 90s spanned an incredible 27 seasons on the mound. As such, his 1968 Topps rookie provides a special connection to Ryan’s awe-inspiring starts in sheer vintage baseball card form, even in a lower-mid PSA 8 grade. For those who missed out on the 1952 Mantle or ‘57 Clemente, Ryan’s ‘68 Topps provides a tantalizing vintage fix at a price still within reach for dedicated collections.

1971 Topps Traded Nolan Ryan PSA 9 ($25,000+)
While not technically his true Topps rookie from that same year, the ’71 Topps Traded set is most known for featuring Nolan Ryan in an Angels uniform for the first time. As such, it serves as the de facto much more visually appealing Angels rookie card for the fireballer. Higher grades above a PSA 9 start commanding big money fast owing to Ryan’s esteemed all-time pitching records and status as a top-3 great of his era, making specimens in the 9-9.5 range very gettable by comparison for committed Ryan collectors.

Possessing any one of these top 10 cards in high grade requires a massive investment but also guarantees inclusion in an absolute blue-chip collection with specimens likely to hold or increase tremendously in value long term. For today’s collectors, chasing modern parallels and autographs of current stars like Trout or signed rookies of retired greats such as Jeter remain especially enticing targets offering iconic cardboard at prices far below what it would cost to land the respective player’s true vintage rookie cards from decades prior.