The 2020 Topps baseball card update set is one of the most highly anticipated card releases each year by collectors both new and old. The update set provides a mid-season snapshot of the current MLB season by featuring players performance and roster changes from the first half of the year. With over 400 cards in the 2020 Topps update set, collectors have many exciting new additions to find including rookie cards, autographs, and parallels.
Some of the biggest storylines of the 2020 MLB season are highlighted in the update set through new images and stats. For example, rookie sensation Fernando Tatis Jr. of the San Diego Padres is prominently featured after bursting onto the MLB scene in 2019 and continuing his stellar play in 2020. Tatis Jr. has become one of the faces of baseball and his cards are in high demand. Other emerging young stars like Bo Bichette of the Toronto Blue Jays, Mike Soroka of the Atlanta Braves, and John Means of the Baltimore Orioles made their Topps rookie card debuts in the 2020 update.
Veteran players who switched teams before or during the 2020 season through trades and free agency signings also receive new card designs and uniforms. For instance, catcher Willson Contreras is pictured as a member of the Chicago Cubs instead of the Atlanta Braves after being traded earlier in the year. Starting pitchers like Lance Lynn and Mike Minor gained new cards donning their respective new uniforms for the Texas Rangers and Oakland Athletics. Even players who missed time due to the COVID-19 pandemic but are returning for the shortened 2020 season, such as David Price of the Los Angeles Dodgers, have latest info included.
In addition to standard base cards, the 2020 Topps update set treats collectors to several numbered parallels that are inserted randomly in packs. The Gold parallels are numbered to 2020 copies, making them slightly rarer than the base cards. The Red and Blue parallels are numbered even lower to only 150 and 50 copies respectively, increasing their value. Other popular parallels found at reduced odds include Atomic Refractors, Photo Variations, Negative Photographs, and Rainbow Foil cards. Autograph and memorabilia ‘hit’ cards signed by today’s MLB stars are also potential pack pulls that can be worth hundreds of dollars.
Some veterans whose careers may be winding down or in transition received special commemorative cards in this year’s Topps update. For example, the Cardinals’ Yadier Molina and the Cubs’ Jon Lester both got ‘Final Five’ cards depicting them with their new teams as they enter their final seasons under contract. Other veteran standouts like Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers, Max Scherzer of the Nationals, and Justin Verlander of the Astros got additional legendary status highlighted on special cards as well recognizing their Hall of Fame worthy careers to date.
The 2020 baseball season has been one of the most unique and challenging years due to the effects of COVID-19. However, Topps managed to still produce an engaging and informative update set for collectors. By including the latest stats and roster moves from the first half of the unusual season, the 2020 Topps update immortalizes a snapshot from this unprecedented year in baseball card form. With parallels, rookies, and stars galore, it’s sure to be a popular and historic set to collect for years to come. Whether collecting for enjoyment or investment, the 2020 Topps update succeeds in documenting all the on-field action and behind-the-scenes changes from the first part of this remarkable MLB campaign.
