The 2022 Topps baseball card season is here, giving collectors a new set of cards to add to their collections. Each year, Topps releases several different sets of baseball cards for the new season. Their main flagship set is called Topps Series 1, which comes out in late January or early February. This provides collectors and fans their first chance to get cards of the upcoming season.
For 2022, Topps Series 1 included 387 total base cards. Some of the rookies and top players who received prominent base cards in the set included Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Juan Soto, Shohei Ohtani, Fernando Tatis Jr., Ronald Acuña Jr., and Mike Trout. Trout has long been one of the faces of Topps and always receives multiple prestigious cards in their sets each year. Series 1 also included 50 borderless variations of star players.
In addition to the base cards, Topps Series 1 introduced several new subsets and parallels this year. The ‘Future Stars’ subset highlighted some of the up-and-coming young talents in baseball like Bo Bichette, Gavin Lux, and Kyle Tucker. ‘Then and Now’ paired current photos of stars with their rookie cards images. ‘Minors Prospects’ provided a first Topps card for highly touted farm system players.
On the parallel front, Topps Series 1 offered Silver Pack parallels (1:10 packs), Gold Sparkle parallels (1:48 hobby box), Rainbow Foil parallels (1:72 hobby box), and Red White & Blue parallels (only available in hobby boxes). The Red White & Blue cards became especially hot on the secondary market due to their low print runs. Topps also brought back their popular ‘Topps NOW’ insert set, which allows them to quickly produce cards for big moments that occur after a regular series is released.
In March, Topps followed up Series 1 with their annual high-end release – Topps Series 2. This set focused more on veteran players and included veterans spotlight inserts highlighting stars from the past. The base set included 399 total cards, with SP variations and additional inserts mixed in. Topps introduced several new parallel types unique to Series 2, such as Gold Frame Book parallels (1:72 hobby box) and Purple Logoman parallels (1:144 hobby box).
With Opening Day right around the corner, Topps launched their 2022 Topps Opening Day baseball card set in early April. This is always one of the more popular early season releases. The base set featured photo variations and numbered parallels inserts. Topps also launched 10 shortprint variations only available randomly in packs. Topps Opening Day provided current photos of all 30 MLB teams to get fans excited for the first pitch of the new season. Big rookies like Bobby Witt Jr. and Julio Rodriguez got their first Topps cards in this set as well.
In late April, Topps unveiled their highest-end baseball offering yet – Topps Chrome. This set features perhaps the best-looking refractors, parallels, and photo variations on the market. The base set included only 150 cards but they were all spectacular refractive images. Topps Chrome also introduced Green Refractors (1:120 packs), Pink Refractors (1:288 packs), Titanium Parallels (1:576 hobby boxes), and 1-of-1 Rainbow Foils. Due to the premium materials, small print runs, and current star player selection – Topps Chrome parallels became the new holy grails for collectors chasing big hits.
Wrapping up Topps’ early season flagship releases was 2022 Topps Series 1 High Tek in early May. This provided a second shot at the Series 1 rookies and stars but with a “High Tek” parallel design. The base set replicated Series 1 cards but with a distressed, layered design that gave them modern, high-tech look. Inserts focused on 3D graphics, colors, and technology influences. High Tek was the most niche of Topps’ regular yearly offerings but still popular among digital and parallels collectors.
Filling the summer months, Topps released a variety of smaller hobby box only sets. 2022 Topps Heritage recalled classic designs from the 1930s-60s. Topps Allen & Ginter offered esoteric non-sports inserts and parallels inside baseball card packaging. Topps Archives replicated vintage-styled cards from the early 20th century. Topps Triple Threads and Topps Sterling mixed hits, autographed cards, and relics into their puzzle box designs.
By late summer, Topps was preparing their final flagship release of 2022 – Topps Series 2. Introduced in early August, this second iteration of the standard base set included brand new photos and included rookie sensations like Julio Rodriguez, Oneil Cruz, and George Kirby in the base checklist for the first time. Series 2 added Green Foil parallels (1:72 hobby boxes) and Purple Refractors (1:288 packs) plus multiple new insert sets.
With the 2022 regular season coming to an end, Topps began unveiling postseason offerings including Topps National Baseball Card Day, Topps Update, Topps Finest, and Topps National League/American League Championship sets. Update added new rookie cards for players who made their MLB debut after the regular season flagship sets. Finest remains one of Topps’ most high-end releases with embossed cards and rare ticket stubs.
So in summary, 2022 was a massive year for new Topps baseball cards from their standard to high-end releases. Collectors had no shortage of products chasing their favorite stars, rookies, hits and parallels throughout the season. Topps upheld their dominance of the baseball card market while mixing things up with new sets, designs, and short-printed variations that kept the secondary market booming all year long. Their flagship offerings like Series 1, Series 2, Chrome, and Update along with special releases like Heritage and Allen & Ginter ensured 2022 Topps kept captivating collectors both young and old.
