Year’s Most Exciting Rookies Cards
There’s one undeniable truth in sports card collecting: rookie cards are the crown jewels of the hobby, the holy grail that every collector chases. These cards, like uncut diamonds, represent the beginning of a player’s journey toward greatness, and they are the most coveted treasures in the trading card game. Like in any year, 2023 provided a host of rookies who splashed onto the scene in their respective sports and saw the value of their rookie cards take off like the Michael Jordan crying meme — We know you remember. So, in this installment of Ripped Unwrapped, we’re looking at the rookies whose rookie cards took center stage in 2023.
Gunnar Henderson
The streets want Gunnar Henderson. And we get it. He’s a hot chase as one of the hottest names in baseball. In 2023, Henderson led a resurgent and youth-driven Orioles squad to the postseason, became the franchise’s first unanimous AL Rookie of the Year, and smashed several team records. And that, my friends, is why collectors from far and wide chase Henderson cards like Usain Bolt did gold medals. Henderson’s first RC appeared in 2023 Bowman Baseball – the card above -and the value of his trading cards should only increase as he adds more accolades to an already impressive resume.
Corbin Carroll
We’ve talked about Carroll a lot this year, and like Henderson, Carroll has his own listicle and saw his first official RC released in 2023, Bowman Baseball. The NL Rookie of the Year became the first rookie in MLB history with at least 25 homers and 50 stolen bases, claimed a spot on the All-Star team, and spearheaded the Diamondbacks to a surprising yet riveting World Series appearance — the franchise’s first since 2001. He also appeared in plenty of products, appearing in several Topps products. Check out any Hobby video on the most chased players in 2023. Carroll’s name rings like the bells on Santa’s sleigh.
Victor Wembanyama
In 2023, San Antonio experienced a rare moment as it found itself in the draft lottery for only the third time in two decades. Fortune smiled upon the organization as they secured the coveted No. 1 pick, a position they hadn’t held since they drafted Tim Duncan in 1997. Enter Victor Wembanyama, the top selection and a generational talent standing at an impressive 7-foot-4, possessing skills and range reminiscent of Kevin Durant and the rim-protecting prowess of fellow Frenchman Rudy Gobert. His inaugural Topps card featuring the official RC label — the card above — created an instant buzz, as a staggering 72,121 copies were sold in a limited time. Now, that’s what we call hype!
Adley Rutschman
Let me explain the case for Rutschman. It gets slightly tricky, but hey, it’s the game. In 2022, Rutschman earned a full-service year after finishing as the AL’s Rookie of the Year runner-up. That said, he didn’t snag the official RC tag from Topps until the release of the 2023 product. That gives him a head start on this list, as this is his second season of dominating the diamond, but it also gives a little backstory to why his cards are hotter than fish grease. We’re talking about a player who followed up an AL ROY runner-up season with an All-Star appearance. He’s that dude!
PS: The 2023 Topps #250 Adley Rutschman in the picture is one of his most popular RCs and is extremely accessible. Hit the Internet!
Jordan Walker
Walker earned the Topps official RC stamp before he could legally hit the bars, which is an impressive feat. The Cardinals’ rookie appeared in several Topps products in his debut season and commenced the campaign with the Topps Now above, commemorating his first Big League hit on Opening Day. Walker finished the season with 16 homers and looks to have a bright future and several RCs that’ll only increase in value. Happy Hunting!
