Topps baseball cards have been a staple in the world of sports collecting for decades, with the company holding the exclusive license to produce official Major League Baseball cards since 1952. Each year, collectors eagerly await the release of the newest Topps baseball products to add to their collections. The 2022 Topps baseball card release schedule saw several exciting sets launch throughout the year, continuing Topps’ legacy of documenting the past MLB season through impressive photography and creative card designs.
The flagship Topps Series 1 set was the first major release of 2022, hitting shelves on February 16th. As is tradition, Series 1 provided enthusiasts their initial look at MLB players from the previous season in their new team uniforms. Ranging from base rookie cards to autographed relic parallels, the 2022 Topps Series 1 checklist included everyone from Fernando Tatis Jr. to Shohei Ohtani to Ronald Acuña Jr. Collectors were also treated to popular insert sets like Topps Canvas, Topps Autographics, and Topps Foilboard showcasing today’s stars. The retro-inspired design paid tribute to some of Topps’ most iconic early releases from the 1950s and 1960s.
The annual “opening day” of the MLB season on April 7th saw another Topps tradition continue with the launch of 2022 Topps Opening Day on April 13th. Packs were released exclusively in specially marked boxes of Opening Day products found on store shelves for the opening weeks. These short-printed cards highlighted each team’s biggest contributors from the previous season. Additional 2022 release checklists included the retro “throwback” styled Topps Heritage series on May 18th and the futuristic designs of 2022 Topps Chrome on August 10th. Topps Tribute, celebrating legends of the game, arrived on September 7th.
The latest expansion of Topps’ collegiate baseball offerings was unveiled on June 8th with 2022 Topps College Baseball. Building on the popularity of previously launched Topps Draft and Topps Pro Debut college sets, this new series showcased this year’s top NCAA baseball stars. Dominating headlines, 2022 first overall MLB Draft pick Jackson Holliday’s rookie card debut was highly anticipated by collectors. Topps Allen & Ginter’s Boxed launched on June 22nd with its artist renditions, puzzles, and curiosities.
After a summer of hot prospect action in the minor leagues, Topps bows to emerging future talents with 2022 Topps Pro Debut on August 3rd followed by Topps Prospects on August 31st. Both sets profiled this year’s brightest rising stars as they climbed the minor league ranks towards The Show. Topps also rolled out their brand new high-end offering Topps Sapphire on September 21st with glossy photos and autographs of the game’s modern greats.
Topps closed out the annual release cycle with their perennial postseason standbys. Topps Update hit shelves with playoff bound teams on October 5th. Topps Transcendent Football/Baseball dual memorabilia cards debuted on October 12th. And Topps Finest luxury foils arrived just before the MLB playoffs and World Series began on October 26th. Even after the conclusion of the 2022 MLB season, Topps had one more surprise up their sleeve to delight collectors. A special Black Friday promotion was announced for November 25th offering exclusive bonus packs inserted randomly throughout Topps products on store shelves that day only.
Throughout 2022, Topps excelled in their trademark style of capturing the personalities and historic moments that make baseball America’s pastime. With its vast array of traditional and innovative new sets released systematically all year round, Topps continued providing a collectible connection between fans and their favorite players, teams, and the national pastime. Looking ahead, 2023 promises more greatness from Topps as they extend their MLB license agreement and take baseball card collecting into the future.
