Topps Chrome is one of the premier insert sets released each year by Topps alongside the flagship Series 1 and Series 2 baseball card releases. While the base Topps cards use standard cardboard stock, Topps Chrome cards are printed on a thin, reflective chrome-like material that gives them a shiny gleam and adds to their appeal for collectors. The 2022 Topps Chrome set builds on the history and tradition of outstanding rookie cards and parallels from past years. With several prized rookies from the 2021 rookie class making their Chrome debut, the 2022 edition has generated immense excitement in the baseball card community.
Some of the most sought-after rookie cards in the 2022 Topps Chrome set belong to Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco, Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Alek Manoah, Detroit Tigers pitcher Casey Mize, Seattle Mariners pitcher Logan Gilbert, and Boston Red Sox pitcher Tanner Houck. As the unanimous top prospect in baseball, Franco’s arrival in the majors in 2021 immediately made him one of the faces of the future in MLB. His Topps Chrome rookie is considered by many to be the premier modern-day card in this year’s set. Franco was electrifying in his rookie campaign and has MVP-caliber talent, making his Chrome RC a wise long-term investment.
Manoah emerged as the Blue Jays’ ace during his stellar rookie season and has all the makings of a future Cy Young contender. He brings power, poise, and polish unmatched by most rookies. Mize and Gilbert showed flashes of dominance in their debuts despite spending time in the minors. Both have a very high ceiling and their Topps Chrome rookie cards represent an opportunity to buy into future all-star talent early. Houck played a key role out of Boston’s bullpen in 2021 and could develop into a solid mid-rotation starter, earning him consideration among savvy collectors. These five rookies in particular have received ample attention and their cards command premium prices.
While the rookie cards capture most of the hype, Topps Chrome also features many valuable parallel and autograph inserts that excite collectors. Among the most sought-after parallels are the gold refractors, numbered to only 50 copies each. Pulling a gold refractor of a star player guarantees an extremely rare and valuable card. Other parallel Chase cards in the set include the rainbow foil, sepia, atomic refractors, laser, and black border variants that come in lower print runs. Topps Chrome also has a strong selection of autographed and memorabilia cards of current big leaguers. Rookie autographs like Manoah and Gilbert immediately attain iconic status due to their potential long-term value.
Overall, Topps Chrome 2022 maintains the product’s tradition of spectacular photo quality rendering players and designs in vivid, realistic fashion. The chrome stock makes cards pop unlike any other. Many collectors consider Topps Chrome to be the premier modern issue because it blends heritage, photography and cutting-edge aesthetics into a single must-have release each year. With rookies like Franco, Manoah and others primed to become future stars, their Topps Chrome rookie cards hold valuable collectability for years to come. Savvy investors seeking blue-chip cards to form the foundation of their long-term portfolios would do well to secure copies of the biggest names in the 2022 Topps Chrome set now, while primary market pricing remains reasonable compared to where these coveted RCs could trade in the future.
In summary, Topps Chrome 2022 continues the lineage of premiere baseball cards defined by superior photography, scarce parallels and potential rookie cards of tomorrow’s superstars. Headlined by Wander Franco and other 2021 breakouts, this year’s Topps Chrome offers collectors and investors an opportunity to obtain modern gem cards of probable future Hall of Famers. Between its alluring chrome card stock, coveted parallels and autographed variants, Topps Chrome retains its status as the most widely followed modern baseball card issue annually. For constructing portfolios with an eye towards long-term appreciation, investing in the best rookie cards and parallels from the 2022 Topps Chrome release seems a prudent strategy.
