Inside the 2025 Topps Joy of Baseball Set

The Joy of Baseball Returns

Date: Aug 5, 2025

Author: Ryan Salfino

Topics: 2025 Topps x Bob Ross: The Joy of Baseball, Baseball, Bob Ross, Collector Guide, Product, Trending

Length: 514 Words

Reading Time: ~3 Minutes

Topps is again inviting collectors to find their inner artist with the return of a fan-favorite crossover: 2025 Topps x Bob Ross: The Joy of Baseball, which releases on July 31 and immediately sold out on Topps.com. The set contrasts the calm, colorful world of Ross’s paintings with the energy and excitement of Major League Baseball — proving his legacy remains strong nearly 30 years after his death.

Even today, Ross connects with a younger generation of collectors and athletes, including big leaguers not yet born when his seminal PBS show, The Joy of Painting, last aired.

Set Features

The 2025 edition builds on the original concept with fresh artwork, vibrant player-card combos, and a few new surprises. There are two formats:

Collector’s Edition Boxes: Include 10 packs of eight cards, with two guaranteed autographs per box and a special Topps-branded paintbrush insert.
Happy Little Boxes: At eight cards per box, these are the more compact option, with one auto per every four boxes on average.

The checklist includes stars like Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto and Paul Skenes, as well as Bob Ross himself, all set against signature Ross-style “happy little” landscapes of forests, lakes, mountains, and skies. New this year is a 1-of-1 Cut Signature Card featuring a real Bob Ross autograph — his first-ever certified auto release — inscribed with the phrase “Happy Painting.”

A Sequel to the 2023 Cult Classic

This year’s release is a long-awaited follow-up to 2023’s Topps x Bob Ross: The Joy of Baseball, which became an instant hit with collectors. The unusual mix of trademark artistry, nostalgia, and baseball was unlike anything Topps had done before.

With limited quantities and clever inserts, the 2023 release gained a strong fanbase both inside and outside the traditional baseball card world. Now, it’s coming back.

The Rare “Rookie” That Started It All

One of the most talked-about pulls from the 2023 set was the Bob Ross short-print “rookie” card, a rare insert that quickly became a collector’s grail. Mint versions of the card in particular have generated a ton of interest in The Hobby.

The combination of limited print runs, Ross’s dedicated following, and the novelty of his “rookie” debut made it one of the surprise standouts of that collecting year.

A Modern Fanbase, Including Shane Baz

Ross’s influence now extends far beyond his original PBS audience — even including current MLB players. Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Shane Baz began painting in Ross’s style during his downtime during the covid-19 pandemic when still in the Minors, which cancelled its season. He was inspired by the legendary artist’s calm approach and iconic landscapes.

Baz started sharing his Ross-inspired artwork on social media, including serene images of snowy mountains, orange sunsets and misty lakes — each painted with Ross’s signature “wet-on-wet” technique. He even donned a Ross wig. All of this underscores how Ross’s message of joy and serenity continues to not only soothe, but inspire, even decades later.