Topps released their 2022 Series 1 baseball cards in early January of this year. The set features 300 base cards along with multiple parallels, autographs, and special inserts. With the season just getting underway, this release gives collectors their first chance to add new rookie cards and veterans to their collections at retail prices. Let’s take an in-depth look at the key cards from Series 1 including popular rookies, stars, and parallels along with estimated current market values.
One of the most anticipated rookie cards in the set is Trayce Thompson of the Detroit Tigers. As the brother of NBA star Klay Thompson, Trayce generated plenty of hype after being called up late last season. His base rookie card can currently be found for around $5-8 raw, though premium parallels command higher prices. Fellow Tigers rookie Spencer Torkelson, the top pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, also has strong interest at $4-6 for his base. Cardinals prospect Jordan Walker and Reds fireballer Hunter Greene have rookie cards valued at $3-5. Beyond just rookies, star players always demand attention. One of the top buys is likely to be Shohei Ohtani of the Angels. Considered one of the game’s emerging superstars, his base card sells in the $8-12 range already. Fellow stars Mike Trout, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Ronald Acuña Jr. come in around $6-10 each.
When it comes to parallels and inserts, collectors have plenty of appealing options at various price points. The standard Chrome parallel for many stars can set you back $15-25 compared to the $8-12 base price. For supersub prospect Oneil Cruz of the Pirates, his Chrome parallel fetches a solid $7-10. Moving up in rarity, the Gold parallels /50 are increasingly collectible. Trout, Tatis and Acuña in Gold will cost around $30-40 already. Ultra-rare Black 1/1 parallels that appear can sell for $100+ if a big name player. On the insert side, Topps’ Festivities set highlighting accomplishments pays tribute to milestones. A card like Albert Pujols’ 700th home run insert is around $10-15 in the current market. Top Prospects cards for talents like Bobby Witt Jr. and Spencer Steer trade for $4-6 each as well.
Perhaps the most exciting cards for collectors are the autographs and memorabilia inserts sprinkled throughout Series 1 hobby boxes. While rookie autographs will always be in highest demand, star veterans continue to hold strong value too. A Trayce Thompson auto would fetch roughly $30-50 right now depending on model or parallel. Torkelson autos settle in the $25-40 range. Looking at other rookies, Jordan Walker and Hunter Greene autographs can sell for $15-25 currently. As for established talents, autographs of Trout, Tatis, Acuña and new Dodgers signee Freddie Freeman all trade hands between $50-100 depending on specific parallel or signature type. Top prospects like Witt and Steer autograph cards hit the $20-30 mark. When it comes to memorabilia cards, a simple relic of a star like Trout or Ohtani will bring $15-25 at this early stage.
While the season is still very young, Topps 2022 Series 1 is off to an exciting start in the hobby. With a full season ahead to further determine top prospects and establish this year’s standouts, values should continue to fluctuate and long-term potential identified. For collectors pursuing specific rookie stars or established names at reasonable initial investment levels, Series 1 provides those opportunities across different parallel, autograph and memorabilia options. Factoring in the continued growth of baseball card popularity overall, savvy investors may see returns on boxes and singles purchased today. With Topps clearly delivering another impressive yearly flagship release, collectors can look forward to an active trading period as sets progress through 2022.
