Behind the Design of 2024 Topps Baseball Update Series
The 2024 Topps Baseball Update Series is set to be a standout release, capturing the energy of the season’s brightest stars while blending elements of baseball history with fresh and inventive designs. Collectors can expect a perfect fusion of modern talent and nostalgic charm, with an impressive checklist and a range of creative inserts that highlight everything from rookie sensations to postseason legends. To get a deeper understanding of the creative process behind this year’s release, we spoke with Topps Brand Manager Ryan Hickey and Senior Art Director Jon Sprance, who shared insights into the design choices, standout inserts, and hidden Easter eggs that make this product a must-have for collectors.
The Players
Discussing the checklist, Hickey emphasized its depth and range: “It’s loaded with rookies, 2024 All-Stars, and retired greats.” He continued, “The checklist includes flagship base rookie cards from an incredible rookie class, including Paul Skenes, Jackson Merrill, Jackson Chourio, Jackson Holliday, and Wyatt Langford, among others.” This impressive rookie lineup is complemented by veteran players who have been updated to reflect new team affiliations, keeping the set as current as possible. “You’ll also find veteran players updated to their new teams, making sure the collection captures the full scope of the 2024 season,” Hickey added.
The inserts in the 2024 Update Series add another layer of excitement, offering both modern innovation and nostalgic callbacks. “The 2024 All-Star Game selections are featured in a 50-card insert,” Hickey shared. “These players also have chase cards in a variety of All-Star relic and autograph relic subsets.” In addition, postseason fans will appreciate the Autumn Tales insert, which “captures postseason heroes of the past,” according to Hickey. Another standout is the Heavy Lumber insert, which returns to highlight both elite rookies and legends of the game. Hickey also pointed out the Topps Black Gold insert, describing it as “a throwback and modern take on the iconic insert from 1993.”
Cooking Up Recipes
On the design side, Senior Art Director Jon Sprance revealed the inspiration behind the base set’s bold neon aesthetic. “The neon design is a perfect blend of old and new,” Sprance said. “It’s somewhat nostalgic but has never been used so prominently before on a Topps Base card.” The subtle metallic accents surrounding the neon give the cards an added contemporary touch. “I love the way the cards turned out, especially with the subtle metallic look surrounding the neon,” Sprance added, noting that the design is both eye-catching and fresh.
Sprance also expressed his excitement about the themed inserts, which allowed the design team to take creative risks. “The themed inserts are always fun to work on,” he said. “Heavy Lumber, Hidden Gems, Stratospheric Stars, Mystical… they all provide a clear direction for the designers to build artwork that is representative of the concept. Mystical was especially fun because it was such a fun concept. We challenged ourselves to really lean into that mid 90’s trapper-keeper vibe and really pack it full of rainbows and puffy clouds and cute animals. The bubble baseballs look really cool.” This approach, according to Sprance, allowed creative ideas to flow more freely, leading to some of the most visually dynamic designs in the set. “It’s fun to take the players outside of the field by showing them on creative, bright-colored backgrounds,” Sprance noted, highlighting how these themes push the boundaries of traditional card design.
In addition to the primary inserts and designs, collectors can look forward to some hidden surprises. Sprance teased a special set of Halloween-themed Easter eggs scattered throughout the series, saying, “There are some fun Halloween-style variations of the base design.” These variations feature festive elements like Jack-o’-lanterns, ghosts, mummies, witches, and bats. “The black and orange design really stands out nicely,” Sprance added, offering collectors an extra layer of excitement as they search for these spooky, limited-edition cards. But that’s not all. “Look out for the four rainbow awesome animals in the Mystical design. The rainbow colored panda in a propellor hat eating a lollipop is particularly awesome,” he concluded.
With its wide-ranging checklist, innovative designs, and creative inserts, the 2024 Topps Baseball Update Series is a must-have for any collector looking to capture the full essence of the 2024 baseball season.
