Celebrating Topps Baseball Series 1 Cover Athletes Through the Years

2026 Series 1 Cover Athletes & More

Since 1993, there’s been a prestigious honor in baseball that rivals landing on the cover of a video game: appearing on the cover of Topps Baseball Series 1. It’s a moment that captures when a player’s performance, personality, and timing align perfectly.

More than packaging, the Series 1 cover reflects how a season will be remembered, how a player’s story is told, and how collectors experience the start of a new year in The Hobby. In celebration of Topps Baseball’s 75th anniversary, we’re revisiting some of the athletes who have defined those moments over the years.

Topps Baseball Series 1 cover athletes represent defining moments in MLB and The Hobby. Since 1993, each cover has captured players at the height of relevance—from legends like Ken Griffey Jr. and Hank Aaron to modern icons like Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge—reflecting how baseball history and collecting culture intersect each year.

Jump to Years:
[2026] [2025] [2024] [2023] [2022] [2021] [2020] [2018] [2010] [1999] [1997] [1993]

2026 Topps Baseball Series 1

Cover Athletes: Hank Aaron • Ken Griffey Jr. • Shohei Ohtani • Aaron Judge

Why This Cover Matters
The 2026 Series 1 cover celebrates baseball across generations. By bringing together Hank Aaron, Ken Griffey Jr., Shohei Ohtani, and Aaron Judge, Topps created a visual bridge between the game’s past and present. It honors enduring greatness while recognizing the sport’s continued evolution.

Career & Historical Context

• Hank Aaron: Hall of Famer, former all-time home run leader, 25 All-Star selections, MVP Award winner.
• Ken Griffey Jr.: First-ballot Hall of Famer, 13-time All-Star, MVP, and one of the most recognizable players in baseball history.
• Aaron Judge: Three-time MVP and record-setting slugger who defines modern power.
• Shohei Ohtani: Four-time MVP whose historic two-way success has reshaped baseball.

2025 Topps Baseball Series 1

Cover Athlete: Aaron Judge

Why This Cover Matters
Aaron Judge’s return to the Series 1 cover reflects sustained dominance rather than a single peak moment. By 2025, Judge had firmly established himself as the face of power hitting in the modern game, making him the natural choice to usher collectors into a new season.

Career & Historical Context

• Three-time MVP.
• Record-setting slugger whose leadership and production remain central to the Yankees and the league.

2024 Topps Baseball Series 1
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Cover Athlete: Ronald Acuña Jr.

Why This Cover Matters
Ronald Acuña Jr.’s 2024 cover captures a season that redefined what a complete player looks like. His blend of speed, power, and energy made the Series 1 cover feel like a snapshot of baseball at its most electric.

Career & Historical Context

• National League MVP.
• First player in MLB history to record 40 home runs and 70 stolen bases in the same season.
• Widely regarded as one of the game’s most exciting talents.

2022 Topps Baseball Series 1

Cover Athlete: Shohei Ohtani

Why This Cover Matters
Shohei Ohtani’s 2022 Series 1 cover reflects a player doing what baseball had never truly seen before. Each season with Ohtani feels historic, and this cover captures the moment when his two-way brilliance became undeniable.

Career & Historical Context

• Hit 46 home runs in 2021.
• Recorded 100 RBIs for the first time.
• Led the league with eight triples.
• Posted a 9–2 record as a starting pitcher.
• Earned his first All-Star selection and AL MVP honors.

2020 Topps Baseball Series 1

Cover Athlete: Pete Alonso

Why This Cover Matters
Pete Alonso’s 2020 cover celebrates one of the loudest rookie seasons baseball had ever seen. His immediate impact made him impossible to ignore and cemented his place as the power hitter of his class.

Career & Historical Context

• Opened 2019 on the Mets’ Opening Day roster.
• Home Run Derby champion.
• Won NL Rookie of the Year honors.
• Set a rookie record with 53 home runs, surpassing Aaron Judge.

2010 Topps Baseball Series 1

Cover Athlete: Albert Pujols

Why This Cover Matters
Albert Pujols’ 2010 cover arrived when his Hall of Fame trajectory was already undeniable. The card captures a moment when dominance had become routine.

Career & Historical Context

• In 2009, led the MLB in:
  • 47 home runs
  • 124 runs scored
• Claimed another MVP-caliber season and the Series 1 spotlight.

2009 Topps Baseball Series 1

Cover Athletes: Aaron Rodriguez • Babe Ruth

Why This Cover Matters
The 2009 Topps Baseball Series 1 cover draws a direct line between baseball’s original power icon and one of the most dominant sluggers of the modern era. By pairing Alex Rodriguez with Babe Ruth, Topps highlights how power has defined greatness across generations.

Careers & Historical Context

• Alex Rodriguez: In 2008, hit .302 with 35 home runs and 103 RBIs for the Yankees, reaffirming his place as one of MLB’s elite offensive forces late into his prime.
• Babe Ruth: Hall of Famer and cultural icon who transformed baseball with unprecedented home run totals.

2000 Topps Baseball Series 1

Cover Athletes: Mark McGwire • Hank Aaron

Why This Cover Matters
The 2000 Topps Baseball Series 1 cover captures baseball at a pivotal moment. Featuring Mark McGwire alongside Hank Aaron, the design reflects a game balancing historic achievement with the power-driven era that defined the late 1990s.

Careers & Historical Context

• Mark McGwire: In 1999, blasted 65 home runs, marking his fourth consecutive season with 50 or more and cementing one of the most prolific power stretches in MLB history.
• Hank Aaron: Hall of Famer and former all-time home run leader, symbolizing excellence and longevity.

1999 Topps Baseball Series 1

Cover Athletes: Nolan Ryan • Roger Clemens

Why This Cover Matters
Pairing Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens created a rare moment where past longevity met present dominance. The cover honors pitching greatness that transcended eras.

Careers & Historical Context

• Ryan appeared six years after throwing his final MLB pitch.
• Clemens won his fifth Cy Young Award.
• Clemens led MLB with 20 wins; led the AL with 2.65 ERA, and 271 strikeouts.

1997 Topps Baseball Series 1

Cover Athletes: Willie Mays • Barry Bonds

Why This Cover Matters
Few covers capture baseball lineage like this one. Featuring Willie Mays alongside his godson Barry Bonds, the 1997 cover feels like a passing of the torch.

Careers & Historical Context

• Mays: Hall of Famer and all-time great.
• Bonds: One of the most dominant players of his generation.
• A generational moment captured on Series 1.

1996 Topps Baseball Series 1

Cover Athletes: Kirby Puckett • Tony Gwynn

Why This Cover Matters
The 1996 Topps Baseball Series 1 cover celebrates skill-driven excellence. Featuring Kirby Puckett and Tony Gwynn, it honors players whose careers were defined by consistency, contact hitting, and respect for the fundamentals of the game.

Careers & Historical Context

• Kirby Puckett: Hall of Famer, 10-time All-Star, and cornerstone of the Minnesota Twins’ championship teams. In 1995, Puckett suffered a career-ending injury, but he still hit .314 with 23 home runs and 99 RBIs, cementing his legacy as one of the game’s most reliable all-around performers.
• Tony Gwynn: Eight-time batting champion. Batted .368 in 1995, winning the National League batting title for the third consecutive year and reaffirming his reputation as one of the greatest pure hitters in MLB history.

1993 Topps Series 1

Cover Athletes: Ken Griffey Jr. • Robin Yount

Why This Cover Matters
This is the cover that started it all. By pairing a rising superstar with an established legend, Topps set the template for what Series 1 covers would become.

Careers & Historical Context

• Griffey Jr.:
  • All-Star every season from 1990 to 2000.
  • Won his third consecutive Gold Glove in 1992.
  • Nickname: “The Kid”
• Yount:
  • Hall of Famer inducted in 1999.
  • Recorded his 3,000th hit in 1992, becoming the third-youngest to reach the milestone.
  • Nickname: “The Kid”

Topps Baseball Series 1 FAQs

• What does it mean to be a Topps Series 1 cover athlete?
  • Being featured on the Series 1 cover signals a player’s peak relevance at the start of a new collecting year. It reflects historic performance, cultural impact, or career-defining moments that resonate with both fans and collectors.
• When did Topps Series 1 covers begin featuring athletes?
  • The modern tradition of featuring athletes on Topps Baseball Series 1 covers began in 1993. That inaugural cover paired Ken Griffey Jr. with Robin Yount and set the template for future flagship releases.
• Why do some Series 1 covers feature multiple players?
  • Multi-player covers are used to highlight generational moments, anniversaries, or shared legacies. For example, the 2026 cover brings together legends and modern stars to celebrate Topps Baseball’s 75th anniversary.
• Why is Series 1 considered a critical Topps release?
  • Series 1 sets the tone for the entire collecting year. Its cover athlete becomes the face of this moment, making the selection especially symbolic.
• How does Topps choose Series 1 cover athletes?
  • Cover athletes are selected based on performance, historical milestones, star power, and narrative timing. The goal is to capture a moment that defines the sport and resonates with collectors at the time of release.

Key Facts

• The modern Topps Baseball Series 1 cover tradition began in 1993 with Ken Griffey Jr. and Robin Yount.
• Series 1 covers highlight players at moments of peak relevance, milestone seasons, or historical significance.
• Multi-player covers are used to mark major moments, including anniversaries and generational pairings.
• Several cover athletes are Hall of Famers, including Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Ken Griffey Jr., and Nolan Ryan.
• The 2026 Series 1 cover celebrates Topps Baseball’s 75th anniversary by uniting legends and modern stars.

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