2023 Topps Update Baseball Preview

The flagship is about to reach the harbor. 

2023 Topps Update marks the end of the annual trilogy of the main line of fully licensed baseball cards, with a release date of Oct. 11. That’s a couple of weeks earlier than the ’22 release.

Configurations

One thing that won’t be the same is the size of the Hobby box.  2023 Topps Update Baseball will have 20 packs with 12 cards per pack compared to 24 packs with 14 cards  last year. HTA Jumbo boxes will remain the same with ten packs per box and 46 cards per pack.

Hobby boxes will once again offer one autograph or relic card. The autos fall about one in every three boxes.  

Jumbos will have one guaranteed autograph and relic and manufactured relic, plus an oversized box topper or cello wrapped autograph variation.

You can also look for Blaster boxes with their exclusive parallel cards again this year but autographs there will be rare. 

Base Set

Tack on another 330 cards to the Series 1 and Series 2 base sets, this one focused on rookies, rookie debut cards, players who were traded after the 2022 season, multi-player cards and other content.

Parallels are many and start with gold foil versions that are found in every other Jumbo pack.  Others include:

• Rainbow Foil Parallel – Inserted 1:10 packs
• Gold Parallel – #’d to 2023
• Green Foil board Parallel – #’d to 499
• Orange Foil board Parallel – #’d to 299
• Red Foil board Parallel – #’d to 199
• Vintage Stock Parallel –#’d to 99
• Independence Day Parallel – #’d to 76
• Black Parallel – #’d to 72 Hobby/HTA Jumbo Exclusive
• Mother’s Day Hot Pink Parallel – #’d to 50
• Father’s Day Powder Blue Parallel –#’d to 50
• Memorial Day Camo Parallel – #’d to 25
• Clear Variation – #’d to 10 (100 subjects) Hobby Only
• Platinum Parallel – #’d 1/1
• Printing Plates – Printing plate of card fronts (4 per card) #’d 1/1

Offered in Series 1 and 2, the rare Golden Mirror Image Variation short prints are back as well.

Insert Cards

There are several new inserts in Update.

Action Stars has a checklist of 30 players “known for their high action performances,” according to Topps. 

Time-Spanning Tandems pair current stars with past greats, both sharing a common bond.  

Laid Out! focuses on players known for making spectacular plays on defense. 

2023 All Star Game inserts highlight the top 50 players who were part of the 2023 MLB All Star Week events.

All four sets will have these parallels:
• Blue Parallel – limited to 600
• Black Parallel – #’d to 299
• Gold Parallel – #’d to 75
• Red Parallel – #’d to 10
• Platinum Parallel – #’d 1/1

Topps Black Gold returns, with the 1990s design showcasing current stars and the shiny, die-cut All Aces set adds to its checklist with a new group for Update. Heavy Lumber inserts return, too, with 20 more players on woodgrained style cards that are limited to 500 of each.  

AKA inserts highlight  players with iconic nicknames. 

There will also be autograph parallels for Action Stars, Laid Out!, Black Gold and All Aces, numbered to 10 or less.  

1988 Topps Baseball style inserts bring the 35-year-old design back to life. They’ll also have the parallels above along with 1/1 Wood versions.

Hobby Exclusive Inserts

Box Loaders (or Box Toppers, if you prefer) will be based on the 1988 Topps Big design. They’re exclusive to Jumbo boxes and will have Gold (# to 50), Red (# to 10) and 1/1 Platinum parallels as well as rare autographed versions, hand numbered to 10 or less.

Commemorative MVP Medallion cards are focused on past winners of the award in both leagues.  Parallels will include:

• Black – #’d to 299
• Gold- #’d to 75
• Red  #’d to 10
• Platinum – #’d 1/1
• Autograph (select subjects) – #’d to 10 or less

Commemorative World Series Trophy Medallion cards are limited to 250 of each with these parallels:

• Gold  – #’d to 75
• Red  – #’d to 10
• Platinum – #’d 1/1
• Autograph (select subjects) – #’d to 10 or less

1/1 hand-drawn Sketch Cards will be in the mix as well and found only in Hobby and Jumbo boxes. 

Relic Cards

New MLB First Stich Patch cards feature players who changed teams for 2023 with MLB Authenticated jumbo patches from their first jersey. They’ll be numbered to 50 with Gold (# to 10) and 1/1 Letter Patch versions for some. They’ll be found only in Hobby and Hobby Jumbo packs.

Major League Materials include game-used pieces with parallels to include:

• – Black: #’d to 199
• – Gold: #’d to 50
• – Red: #’d to 25
• – Platinum: #’d 1 of 1 (Hobby and Hobby Jumbo Exclusive)

All-Star Stiches take pieces of workout jerseys from the 2023 game in Seattle. Parallel versions include:

• – Silver: #’d to 50
• – Red: #’d to 25
• – Gold: #’d 1 of 1

Dual and Triple versions are possible.

Own The Name Relics showcase jersey nameplate letters, As usual with these types of cards, they’re 1/1 and will only be found in Hobby/Jumbo boxes.  

All-Star Jumbo Patch cards are numbered to 5 or 1 (Gold) while Own The Name Relics showcase jersey nameplate letters.  They’re exclusive to Hobby and Jumbo boxes.

Autographed Relic Cards

MLB First Stich Patch cards will also have autographed versions and are numbered to 50 or 10 (Gold). Letter Patches will be 1/1.  Look for them in Hobby/Jumbo boxes.

Topps Reverence Autograph Patch cards will feature uniform patch pieces and on-card autographs. Found only in Hobby products, they’ll be numbered to 10, 5 or 1. 

Major League Material inserts will have autograph versions are numbered to 50, 25 or 1. 

All-Star Stitch Autograph versions are numbered to 25, 10 or 1.  Dual and triple player versions will exist, too, both numbered to 25.

All-Star Autographed Jumbo Patch cards are numbered no higher than 10. 

Autographed Cards

Baseball Stars Autographs encompass both current stars and rookies as well as former greats.  Parallels include:

• – Black: #’d to 199
• – Gold: #’d to 50
• – Red: #’d to 25
• – Platinum: #’d 1 of 1

Dual versions are also possible and numbered no higher than 5.

1987 Topps Baseball Autographs offer on-card autographs of rookies, veterans, and retired players. Parallel versions include:

• – Black: #’d to 199
• – Gold: #’d to 50
• – Red: #’d to 25  Hobby Exclusive
• – Platinum: #’d 1 of 1 (Hobby and Jumbo Exclusive)

1/1 Cut Signatures cards are also possible in 2023 Topps Update.

Silver Packs

Silver packs that are included inside Hobby and Jumbo boxes will again feature chrome cards with numbered autographs and parallels randomly inserted. 

Box Pricing

You can check out prices for 2023 Topps Update Baseball products on eBay here.

About Rich Mueller

Rich is the editor and founder of Sports Collectors Daily. A broadcaster and writer for over 40 years and a collector for even longer than that, he's usually typing something somewhere. Type him back at [email protected].