Top Cards to Collect
Get ready, collectors and baseball fanatics, because the 2023 Topps Update Series is here to throw a curveball of excitement your way! Serving up a stack of fresh faces and game-changing moments from the season, this set is batting a thousand in the rookie card department. Buckle up as we dive into the diamond, exploring the triumphant tales and electrifying stats behind these newbies who are knocking it out of the park in Major League Baseball.
2023 Topps Series Update #US18 Gunnar Henderson
For a hefty stretch from June 2023 through the regular season’s end, Henderson morphed into a hitting machine, carving out a .276/.322/.535 slash line with 23 homers, 22 doubles and 68 RBIs over his final 100 games. The man also brought a stellar showcase to the field, locking down shortstop with 584.2 innings, 10 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS), and a 13.8 UZR/150, and making third base his domain with 594.2 innings, 3 DRS, and a 9.2 UZR/150. Say hello to your possible AL Rookie of the Year, folks.
2023 Topps Series Update #US20 Kodai Senga
The 30-year-old Senga arrived in the Big Leagues from Japan having already built a career of leaving batters clueless and demoralized. That only continued with the Mets. In his first season, Senga led rookies in strikeouts with 202 and was one of 17 players in the Majors to exceed 200 Ks. The $75 million dollar deal he received last winter looks like a bargain as he’s set to be the headliner of New York’s staff next year.
2023 Topps Series Update #US308 Josh Jung
We’ve harped on Jung’s love for collecting trading cards and maybe he’ll grab 2023 Topps Series Update. But enough about off-field pursuits; let’s dive into the diamond where Jung is making real noise. The Rangers are breezing through the playoffs, having swept the Rays and going up 2-0 on the Orioles. Much of that has to do with Jung, who earned his first All-Star appearance and was one of five rookies with at least 20 homers and 70 RBIs in 2023. After striking out four times in his first two postseason appearances, Jung’s caught fire, tallying a hit in each of his last three games, including a three-hit performance in the closeout game vs. Tampa Bay.
2023 Topps Update Series #US180 Adley Rutschman
Like a few others on this list, Rutschman isn’t technically a rookie. But no worries – this is still an RC. Finishing second in the AL Rookie of the Year voting back in 2022 and snagging All-Star honors this season, the catcher has already established himself as one of the premier young players. Now, in the thick of the playoffs, he’s helping the Orioles battle their way toward an ALCS berth. Clearly, Rutschman has earned every bit of his spot on this list.
2023 Topps Update Series #US244 Corbin Carroll
With the ink barely dry on that juicy eight-year, $111 million extension from the D-backs, Carroll is already making it look like a Netflix subscription price in a world of premier cinema tickets. And, oh, did he flip the script on expectations! Carving his name in MLB history, Carroll became the first rookie to record a 25-homer, 50-steal season and continues to put on a show. From carrying the D-backs to a wild-card berth and dusting off the Brewers in the Wild Card Round to currently starring in a thrilling drama featuring the Dodgers on the ropes, down 2-0 in the 2023 ALDS, Carroll’s delivering. He’s nabbed a hit in four of his first five postseason episodes, including three multi-hit games and a couple of box-office homers. The chatter for NL Rookie of the Year and a top-five NL MVP nod is growing louder. Could Carroll be scripting one of the sports world’s favorite underdog stories?
